Basal nuclei function

Question 1

What are associated disorders with the basal nuclei?

Answer 1

Major associated disorders:
Parkinson’s Disease
Huntington’s Chorea
Ballism (hemiballism) – relatively rare

Question 2

Basal nuclei function

Answer 2

Motor planning & initiation
Not fully understood – “gating” of voluntary movement?

Cognitive function
Associations with limbic system and prefrontal cortex
Reward (addiction, gambling)
Implicit memory learning

Question 3

What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 3

symptoms:

Ataxia – rigidity, bradykinesia
Resting tremor (3-7Hz)
Cognitive (memory, attention, loss of inhibition.)
Postural instability
Eventually dementia

Second most common neurodegenerative disease (~1% in over-60s). Incurable, progressive, not (directly) lethal; life expectancy 10-15 years

• Incurable
  -Progressive
• Relatively slow
• One of the biggest issue is that it causes falls.

Question 4

What causes Parkinson disease?

Answer 4

Loss of dopaminergic neurones of the substantia nigra projecting to the striatum. PD onset after ~20-40% dopamine loss.

Why they die is unclear.

Question 5

a time come when parkinson medication won’t work what is used after this ?

Answer 5

Deep Brain Stimulation

Question 6

What is huntingtons disease

Answer 6

Onset usually 30-50; typically inherited

Starts with mild cognitive and behavioural alterations

Develops to loss of co-ordination, unsteady gait, jerky movements (“chorea”), eventually loss of function & full-blown dementia

Medium spiny neurones in the striatum particularly vulnerable – loss of motor regulation

Question 7

What is Tardive dyskinesia

Answer 7

Involuntary movements, especially face, neck, trunk

Primarily iatrogenic – antipsychotics (D2 antagonists)

Long-term suppression of DAergic transmission – overcompensation?

SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS

Question 8

What is
Tourette’s syndrome

Answer 8

Involuntary tics – movements, speech, etc.
Complex and poorly understood – DA system / cortical structures

Question 9

What is Restless legs syndrome

Answer 9

Serious discomfort at rest, relieved by movement
Causes unclear – genetic component, DA & ion homeostasis dysfunction

Question 10

What is Ballism (hemiballismus)

Answer 10

Repetitive, constant, involuntary large movements of proximal limbs

Usually affects only one side of body contralateral to damaged nuclei

Generally associated with brain damage (TBI, stroke, brain cancers, neurodegenerative diseases)

Damage to basal nuclei, usually STN: Loss of regulation of basal nuclei network

Question 11

What is funciton of basal ganglea

Answer 11

MOTOR PLANNING AND INTIATION