basal ganglia and cerebellum

Question 1

what is basal ganglia

Answer 1

extrapyramidal (not part of corticospinal tract which is pyramidal)

Question 2

what 8 regions does basal ganglia circuitry include

Answer 2

caudate nucleus (most anteriorly; like tadpole: anterior head and posterior tail), lentiform nucleus (separated from caudate by internal capsule), subthalamic nucleus (beneath thalamus), substantia nigra (midbrain projecting to basal ganglia), ventral pallidum (dopaminergic neurones), claustrum, nucleus accumbens (basal forebrain; reward centre of brain), nucleus basalis of Meynert (cholinergic neurones projecting to cortex; very important in memory function - primary site of damage in Alzhemier’s disease)

Question 3

what does the lentiform nucleus include

Answer 3

putamen and external globus pallidus

Question 4

basal ganglia diagram in coronal planes

Answer 4

anterior: caudate which anteriorly makes up lateral wall of lateral ventricle, laterally and inferiorly is cutamen (links between caudate and cutamen); nucleus accumbens inferior

as move back: emergence of globus palladus -> further back caudate becomes smaller and lage cutamen laterally, as well as globus palladus with internal and external sections

at back: thalamus emerges on midline

striatum: caudate, putamen and external globus palladus

Question 5

basal ganglia anterior diagram

Answer 5

Question 6

basal ganglia more posteriorly diagram

Answer 6

(diencephalon contains mammillary body)

Question 7

3 functions of basal ganglia

Answer 7

elaborating associated movements (e.g. swinging arms when walking to keep gait (balance), changing facial expression to match emotions), moderating and coordinating movement (suppressing unwanted movements), performing movements in order

Question 8

basal ganglia circuitry diagram: explain and 3 areas of disease

Answer 8

cortex input to striatum (caudate, external globus pallidus and putamen); links to subthalamic nucleus (specifically by external globus palladus) and substantia nigra

disease: substantia nigra to striatum is Parkinson’s disease, striatum to internal globus pallidus is Huntington’s disease, subthalamic nucleus is ballism

Question 9

what 3 things make up striatum

Answer 9

caudate, putamen and external globus pallidus