Basal Ganglia + Pharmacology Flashcards
Draw out the route of the direct pathway
See slides
Which receptor does dopamine act on in the direct pathway?
D1 receptors
Does the direct pathway promote or inhibit movement?
Promotes it
Describe the basic pathology of Parkinson’s disease
Less dopamine is released from the SNPC to activate the striatum by acting on D1 receptors in the direct pathway. Less activation of the direct pathway will result in decreased movement and Parkinson-isms
What 2 things make up the striatum?
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
What 3 things make up the pallidum?
Globus pallidus internus
Globus pallidus externus
Substantia nigra pars reticula
What 3 things make up the lentiform nucleus?
Putamen
Globus pallidus internus
Globus pallidus externus
What does the caudate nucleus connect with anteriorly?
Putamen
What does the substantia nigra pars compacta do in normal physiology?
Promotes movement
Activates direct pathway
Inhibits indirect pathway
What type of signalling does the substantia nigra pars compacta use?
Dopaminergic
What is an immediate lateral relation of the thalamus?
The internal capsule
Which portion of the thalamus connects the basal ganglia to the premotor cortex?
Ventral anterior nucleus
SNPC activates the striatum via…
D1 receptors
Direct pathway
SNPC inhibits the striatum via…
D2 receptors
Does the indirect pathway promote or reduce movement?
Reduces movement
Draw out the indirect pathway
See slides
Describe Huntington’s disease
Huntington’s causes degeneration of the striatal input to the GPE.
This switches off the inhibition from the GPE to the subthalamic nucleus
What does hyperkinetic mean?
Too much movement
What does hypokinetic mean?
Too little movement
Name some hypokinetic disorders (5)
Parkinson’s
Multiple systems atrophy
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Wilson’s disease (pseudoparkinsonism)
Essential tremor
Name some hyperkinetic disorders (7)
Hemiballismus
Huntington’s
Dystonias
Wilson’s disease (dystonic)
Essential tremor
Chorea
Athetosis
Define tremor
Shaking movements
Define dystonia
Twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures
Define athetosis
Writhing movements like a snake
Define chorea
Twitching or jerking a group of muscles
Define ballismus
Large, flinging limb movements
Define tics
Small involuntary movements
Which region is involved in Parkinson’s disease?
Which neurotransmitter is affected?
Substantia nigra
Reduction in dopamine
Which region is involved in Huntington’s disease?
Which neurotransmitter is affected?
Striatum (caudate nucleus + putamen)
Reduction in GABA
What is the inhibitory neurotransmitter in the basal ganglia?
GABA
What is the excitatory neurotransmitter in the basal ganglia?
Glutamate
Which area in the basal ganglia is thought to be the ‘focal centre’ for the generation of tremors?
Globus pallidus
Which 2 areas of the brain, in theory, could be removed in order to treat tremors?
Thalamus
Globus pallidus
Name some motor effects of Parkinson’s disease
Bradykinesia
Resting tremor
Rigidity (lead pipe, cogwheel)
Name some other features of Parkinson’s (other than motor)
Festinating gait
Lack of facial expression
Micrographia
No weakness
Normal reflexes
What is the cause of Huntington’s disease?
Genetic
What motor effects are seen in Huntington’s?
Choreiform (jerky, involuntary movement)
Clumsy, unsteady gait
Difficulty with speech and swallowing