Basal Ganglia (Stephens) Flashcards
- involved in crude, stereotyped associative movements of the axial and proximal limb musculature
- initiates movement through subcortical loops, providing framework for all focal motor activity
- also plays role in facilitation of motor centers and activation of reflex arcs
- primary influence of this system is on primary and premotor cortices
- principal subcortical loop is striatal loop and one of the indirect descending pathways, the corticorubrospinal pathway
extrapyramidal system (EPS)
What are the components of the basal ganglia?
- caudate nucleus
- putamen
- striatum: caudate nucleus + putmen
- globus pallidus: internus and externus
- lentiform nucleus: globus pallidus + putamen
- thalamus: ventral anterior nucleus and ventral posterior nucleus
- subthalamic nucleus
- substantia nigra: zona compacta and zona reticularis
- red nucleus (of the RF)
- nucleus accumbens
- located on the lateral aspect of the genu of IC
- along w/ the substantia nigra, this is the principal source of efferents from basal ganglia
- part of the diencephalon
globus pallidus
- elongated tear drop shaped nucleus located on surface of inner curvature of lateral ventricle
- separated from putamen by IC but functionally similar
caudate nucleus
- largest nucleus of the BG, located lateral to globus pallidus beneath anterior limb of IC
- derived from telencephalon and, along w/ the caudate nucleus, forms the striatum
putamen
- two parts: zona compacta and zona reticularis
- reticularis: anterior portion, contains serotonin and GABA NT’s, neurons do not contain melanin, source of most of efferents of this structure
- compacta: contains dopamine and melanin NT’s, these neurons are principally destroyed in Parkinson’s dz
substantia nigra
- subdivision of the RF, located in the center of midbrain tegmentum
- surrounded by fibers from superior cerebellar peduncle
- most of these fibers project to inferior olivary nucleus (ION) via central tegmental fasciculus as part of the subcortical loop to the cerebellum
- part of the projection pathway from dentate nucleus to the ventral anterior thalamic nucleus
red nucleus
- involved in the movements of proximal musculature, may be more significant during crawling phase of human infants
- this tract descends to cervical SC
- function is redimentary in humans but may play a role in neurorehab after CST injury
rubrospinal tract
What signs and symptoms would present in an individual w/ unilateral lesion of the red nucleus and midbrain tegmentum?
(Benedikt’s syndrome)
- ipsilateral oculomotor palsy
- contralateral motor dysfunction: tremor, ataxia, or choreiform movements
(contralat sx due to involvement of crossed fibers of superior cerebellar peduncle that course through red nucleus)
- structure mainly formed by rostral extension of the midbrain RF
- reciprocally connected to globus pallidus
- regulates output of BG
subthalamus
What signs/symptoms would a unilateral lesion of the subthalamus result in?
contralateral hemiballism of upper and lower extremity
(violent involuntary limb movements, on one side of the body, can cause significant disability; always a/w hypotonus)
(may be caused by reduction/loss of inhibition (GABA) on globus pallidus by subthalamus)
- small accumulation of gray matter between putamen and caudate, below anterior limb of IC
- this structure + the olfactory tubercle = ventral striatum
- links amygdala and hippo to dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus and globus pallidus
- may play a role in motivational and emotional aspects of movement
- dopaminergic neurons of mesolimbic pw project into GABAergic neurons of this structure
- this structure is involved w/ encoding of new motor programs, and cognitive processing of aversion, motivation, reward, and reinforcement learning
- plays a significant role in addictive behavior
nucleus accumbens
What are the 2 divisions of the pallido-thalamic fibers?
dorsal and ventral divisions of the ansa lenticularis
- commonly called the lenticular fasciculus (H2)
- these pallido-thalamic fibers join w/ the ventral division and form the thalamic fasciculus
- these fibers are also shared w/ the dentato-thalamic and dentato-rubro-thalamic pathways
- some of these fibers also project to cerebellum
dorsal vision of the ansa lenticularis
- usually referred to as the ansa lenticularis
- most of these fibers are pallido-thalamic fibers, which join w/ the lenticular fasciculus to form the thalamic fasciculus
ventral divison of the ansa lenticularis
The EPS does not project fibers below the level of the ______; most fibers are directed toward the _______.
The EPS does not project fibers below the level of the midbrain; most fibers are directed toward the cortex.
- non dopaminergic fibers that originate in the zona reticularis of the SN and term in the VA and VL thalamic nuclei
nigro thalamic fibers