Basal Ganglia and Parkinson's Flashcards
What is the role of the basal ganglia?
act as a ‘way station’ by taking information, integrating it for complex modulation of motor behaviors and projecting back out to cortex for motor output
What neurotransmitter is produced in the substantia nigra?
Dopamine
What are the two main feedback systems for refining motor system output?
basal ganglia and cerebellum
What does the motor loop link and what is it’s role?
links the putamen, globus pallidus, and ventral lateral thalamic nucleus to the motor and premotor cortex
roles: movement selection and action, regulating muscle contraction, force, multi-joint movements, and sequencing
What does the basal ganglia motor circuit regulate?
- muscle contraction
- muscle force
- multi-joint movements
- sequencing of movements
True or False: the basal ganglia works directly with lower motor nuerons
False, there is no direct output to LMNs so basal ganglia works through 3 routes, the motor thalamus, pedunculopontine nucleus, and midbrain locomotor region
What disorder stems from excessive inhibition of the basal ganglia. (hypokinetic disorders)
What disorder stems from inadequate inhibition of the basal ganglia. (hyperkinetic disorders)
Parkinson’s
huntington’s disease, dystonia, tourette’s disorder, dyskinetic cerebral palsy
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
What is the result of Parkinson’s?
What are the common populations that are affected by Parkinson’s?
nuerodegenerative disorder of subcortical gray matter in the basal ganglia
Dopamine loss in PD=lose inhibitory control of indirect loop and excitatory control over direct loop=decreased movement
Most common in Caucasian males and the mean age of onset is in the early 60’s
What are the cardinal signs of Parkinson’s?
What other common movement symptoms are common?
TRAP:
- Tremor (resting)-diminshes with effort, increases w/ stress and fatigue
- Rigidity-not velocity dependant, commin in trunk, extremities and neck
- Akinesia/bradykinesia-correlates best with severity of loss of dopamine
- Postural instability-not common in early diagnosis
festinating gait freezing soft speech masked face dysphagia
What are common non-movement related symptoms for Parkinson’s?
-anosmia
-anxiety
-apathy
-bone health
-breathing difficulty
-cognitive changes
-nausea
-dysautonomia
-fatigue
hallucinations
-sleep disorders
-pain
True or False: The Rizzo diagnostic test for Parkinson’s is considered the gold standard for diagnosis.
False, there is no diagnostic test for Parkinson’s disease, the real gold standard is a neuropathological exam at autopsy as there is no biological marker that confirms the diagnosis of PD
diagnosis of PD is based on a clinical examination
What are the supportive criteria for diagnosing PD?
- clear and dramatic response to dopamine therapy
- levodopa-induced dyskinesia
- resting tremor of a limb
- diagnostic testing such as loss of olfaction and abnormal cardiac MIBG scintigraphy
What are the 9 absolute exclusions for diagnosing PD?
Negative Criteria
- unequivocal cerebellar abnormalities
- downward vertical supranuclear gaze palsy
- frontotemporal dementia
- parkisonism restricted to lower limbs over 3 years
- treatment with dopamine receptor blocker
- absence of response to levodopa
- unequivocal cortical sensory loss
- normal functional nueroimaging of dopaminergic system
- documentation of alternative condition known to produce parkisonism
What is the prognosis for Parkinson’s?
What are the progressive signs of PD?
It is a progressive disease for which there is no cure
- shift from unilateral to bilateral involvement
- increasing rigidity and postural flexion
- increasingly limited mobility and increasing need for assistance
- eventually w/c and/or bed-bound
- cause of death is usually pnuemonia
What are the stages for the Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale?
Stage 1: unilateral symptoms-tremor, stiffness, slowed movement
Stage 1.5: unilateral symptoms plus axial involvement-postural problems
Stage 2: mild bilateral involvement and minor sxs: swallow, talk and decreased facial expression
Stage 2.5: bilateral involvement, recovers on pull test
Stage 3: bilateral involvement worsened. postural instability noticed. person is still independent
Stage 4: Severe disability, able to walk or stand unassisted but will need help with ADLs
Stage 5: person is confined to w/c or bed; needs total assistance
What are common early presentation for Parkinson’s?
- tremor
- micrographia
- slowness with ADL’s
- voice changes
- difficulty maneuvering in bed
- lack of arm swing with gait
- dragging the foot with walking
What is the primary objective for medical management for PD?
maximize control over the ‘target’ signs and symptoms by selecting appropriate drugs for each symptom
needs medical supervision as the response from patient for each drug may change over time and need to be managed
What are the advantages for levodopa/carbidopa medications for PD?
most effect for PD; prolongs capacity to perform iADLs
What are the advantages for dopamine agonist medications for PD?
Work by copying actions of dopamine in the brain
What are the advantages for COMT inhibitors medications for PD?
What are the advantages for MAO inhibitor medications for PD?
What are the advantages for anticholinergic agent medications for PD?
inhibits enzyme responsible for metabolism of levodopa
Slow the metabolism of dopamine
Used for treatment of tremor in younger patients