Basal Ganglia and Thalamus

Question 0

Why is it called white matter?

Answer 0

Myelination —> glistening white appearance

Question 1

Masses of gray matter found deep within the cortical white matter

Area of the brain that can help modify, integrate, enhance, lessen the gross motor movements

Other fxns:
Regulate somatomotor activity by means of numerous feedback circuits with each other and ultimately with the cerebral cortex

Answer 1

Basal ganglia

Neurons in the basal ganglia

DAMAGE: produce extrapyramidal movement syndromes

Question 2

Putamen + globus pallidus

Looks like the lens of the eye when put together

Answer 2

Lentiform nucleus

Question 3

Where do our neurons come from?

Answer 3

Primitive stem cells lie near ventricular wall. They migrate.

Stem cells left behind in the subcortical area -> gray matter in the basal ganglia

Are they interconnected? Or kalat-kalat? Anatomically not together, but in terms of function, closely interconnected with one another

Do they relate to neurons in the cerebral cortex? YES

Question 4

Most modern trunk?/tract in our body

Answer 4

Corticospinal tract, aka pyramidal tract

Question 5

More functions of the basal ganglia

Answer 5

Integrates feeling and movement
Suppress unwanted motor behavior
Allow feelings of pleasure and ecstasy
Enhances motivation
Shifts and smoothes fine motor behavior
Initiates internally generated movement (but can be overtaken by the cerebral cortex)

Question 6

Does the basal ganglia reçeives input from the spinal cord?

Answer 6

Unfortunately, NONE

Question 7

Caudate nucleus + Putamen

Answer 7

Striatum

Question 8

Lentiform nucleus + Caudate nucleus

Answer 8

Corpus striatum

Question 9

Internal capsule. Where from?

Answer 9

All the processes in Area 4 (Brodmann’s classification)

Part of the corticospinal tract

Question 10

Lateral to the external capsule is a thin sheet of gray matter called?

Answer 10

Calustrum

External to it: Extreme capsule (white matter)

vs

Corpus striatum: gray matter

Question 11

True sexual arousal will always start from where?

Answer 11

Above (brain)

Which part? Hypothalamus!

Question 12

Site of pyramidal decussation

Answer 12

Medulla

Implication: Lesion in the right, felt on the left

Question 13

Pain and temperature is mediated by…

Answer 13

Spinothalamic tract

Question 14

Sensation, proprioception

Mediated by?

Answer 14

Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus

(Ascending tracts) - from senses to the brain

Question 15

Most supreme of all the tracts

Answer 15

Corticospinal tract / Pyramidal fiber tract

Other tracts are labeled as extrapyramidal tract

Question 16

Identify

Carry melanin pigments -> reason for pigmented appearance

Answer 16

Substantia nigra - dopaminergic (inhibitory)

*dopamine- both excitatory and inhibitory

Subthalamic nuclei - glutaminergic (excitatory)

Question 17

Connection of basal ganglia with the cerbral cortex

DIRECT

Answer 17

Cortex -> Caudate and putamen -> Ext and int globus pallidus -> Thalamus -> Cortex

Question 18

What pathway facilitates movement?

EXCITATORY

Answer 18

Direct

Dopamine acts on D1 receptors

Question 19

What pathway inhibits movement?

Answer 19

Indirect (makes sidetrips to substantia nigra and subthalamic nucleus)

Question 20

Melanin pigments in substatia nigra

What pars?

Answer 20

Pars compacta

Question 21

Inhibitory or excitatory?

Glutamate
GABA

Answer 21

Excitation
Inhibition (much produced)

We go trough a series of inhibition and excitation
Output is where the series ends

Question 22

REMEMBER

Answer 22

Not all neurotransmitters are excitatory

Question 23

Most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain?

In the basal ganglia?

Answer 23

Glutamate

GABA

Question 24

What structure is intimately connected with spinal cord to modulate movement?

Answer 24

Cerebellum

Spinocerebellar tract

Question 25

Hyperkinetic movement

Quick, lightning-fast movements of face and upper extremities

Answer 25

Tic

Question 26

Hyperkinetic movement

Oscillatory, rythmic, regular movement affecting one or more body parts

Answer 26

Tremor

Question 27

Hyperkinetic movement
Involuntary, irregular, purposeless, non-rythmic, abrupt, rapid, unsustaomed movements that seem to flow from one body part to another

Answer 27

Chorea

Question 28

Hyperkinetic movement

Slow, writing, continuous involuntary movement

Answer 28

Athetosis

Question 29

Hyperkinetic movement
Twisting movements that tend to be sustained at the peak of movement, frequently repetitive and often progress to prolonged abnormal postures

Answer 29

Dystonia

Question 30

Hyperkinetic

Sudden, brief, shock-like involuntary movements caused by muscular contractions

Answer 30

Myoclonus

Question 31

Hypokinetic movement

Seen in shizophrenia, development of fixed postures, retention of limbs for an indefinite period of time

Answer 31

Catatonia

Question 32

Hypokinetic movement

Includes fatigue…

Answer 32

Hypothyroidism

Question 33

Hypokinetic movement 
TRAP:
Tremors at rest
Rigidity
Akinesia / bradykinesia
Postural instability (propulsion and retropulsion)

Nonmotor impairment: cognitive, hallucinations, delusions, sleep disturbances

Answer 33

Parkinson’s disease

Question 34

Releases melatonin

Answer 34

Pineal gland

Question 35

Processes all somatic sensory information namely pain, temperature, light touch, position and vibration

ALL modalities of sensation except olfactory (CN 1)
Final relay station before reaching the primary cortex

Answer 35

Thalamus

Question 36

Pain sensation of face

Answer 36

Ventral posterior nucleus of thalamus

Question 37

Function of the central nuclei

Answer 37

Receives input from ARAS (Ascending reticular..)

Question 38

Seat of our consciousness

Answer 38

Reticular formation of the thalamus

Question 39

Other name of pre-motor cortex

Answer 39

Supplementary motor cortex