Basal Ganglia anatomy Flashcards
What 5 parts make up the Basal Ganglia
Caudate
Putamen
Substantianigra
Subthalamic Nucleus
Globus Pallidus
What is the Striatum made up of?
Caudate and Putamen
What is the Caudate and Putamen referred to as?
The main input nuclei
Where does the basal ganglia receive its information from?
Cerebral cortex
What are the Globus Pallidus and Substantianigria referred to as?
The main output nuclei
Where does the basal ganglia send its information
Cerebral cortex via thalamus or brainstem
What is the main inhibitory output of the basal ganglia?
outputs from the globus pallidus inhibiting the thalamus to prevent unwanted movements
what does the basal ganglia direct pathway do?
silences neurons in the Globus pallidus freeing the thalamus from the inhibitory effect
what does the basal ganglia indirect pathway do?
increases suppression of unwanted movements
What do microglia cells do in the brain?
act as macrophages (respond to inflammation / damage)
What is the most common glial cell found in the brain?
Astrocytes (highly specialised depending on location within brain)
What do astrocytes do in the brain?
help transmission of information and control immune response of brain.
What do oligodendrocytes form and do?
Myelin sheets on the nerve axons which speed up transmission
What are the 3 common neurotransmitters found in the brain?
Serotonin
Dopamine
Noradrenaline
What is Sertonin’s main output site and what does it do?
Raphe nucleus
Arousal, Sensory processing, Mood, Emotion
What is Dopeamine’s main output site and what does it do?
Substantia nigra, Ventral tegmental nucelus
Motivation, Motor control, Memory, Learning
What is Noradrenaline’s main output site and what does it do?
Cerulus necleus
Arousal, Attention, Memory, Pain, Stress
How is serotonin (5-HTP) synthesised?
from AA trytophan
How is serotonin produced limited?
Many other AA’s aswell as trytophan also try and cross the blood brain barrier
How is serotonin production regulated?
A feedback loop based on how much serotine is present in the synaptic cleft
What enzymes is involved in serotonin synthesis
trytophan-hydroxylase & 5-hydrotryptophan-decarboxylase
What are the main 4 Dopamine pathways
LC - Thalamus - hypothalamus
LC - cerebral cortex (PFC, cingulum)
LC - amydgala - hippocampus
LC - cerebellum - spinal cord
What are the 3 main Noradrenaline pathways?
Nigrostriatal
Mesolimbic
Mesocortical
What are the 4 main Serotonin pathways?
Rostral raphe - cerebral cortex
Rostral raphe - basal ganglia/thalamus
Rostral/caudal raphe - cerebellum
Rostral/caudal raphe - spinal cord
What is basic motor pathway called?
Corticospinal tract
What are the two divisions of the corticospinal tract?
The lateral portocale tract
