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Neuroanatomy and neurodegenerative disorders > Brain pathways > Flashcards

Brain pathways Flashcards

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1
Q

Label the neuroanatomical axes 1 and 2

A

1 - rostral 2 - caudal

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2
Q

Label the neuroanatomical planes 1-3

A

1 - horizontal/axial 2 - coronal 3 - sagittal

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3
Q

Label the subdivisions of the CNS 1-5

A

1 - diencephalon 2 - midbrain 3 - pons 4 - medulla 5 - cerebellum

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4
Q

Label the features of the brain 1-5

A

1 - precentral gyrus 2 - central sulcus 3 - postcentral gyrus 4 - lateral (Sylvian fissure) 5 - superior tempiral gyrus

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5
Q

What are some of the basic functions of the frontal lobe?

A

Movement, rational thought, decision making and planning

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6
Q

Where is the primary motor cortex found within the brain?

A

Pre-central gyrus

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7
Q

What are some of the basic functions of the temporal lobe?

A

Processes auditory signals, involved in learning and memory

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8
Q

What are some of the basic functions of the parietal lobe?

A

Processes sensory information, involved in attention and spatial awareness

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9
Q

Where is the primary somatosensory cortex found?

A

Post-central gyrus

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10
Q

What are some of the basic functions of the occipital lobe?

A

Visual processing (the primary visual cortex is found here)

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11
Q

Label these medial structures of the brain 1-3

A

1 - optic chiasm 2 - fornix 3 - corpus callosum

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12
Q

Label these medial structures of the brain 1-3

A

1 - olfactory bulb 2 - cingulate gyrus 3 - calcacrine fissure

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13
Q

Label these medial structures of the brain 1-3

A

1 - hypothalamus 2 - thalamus 3 - pineal body

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14
Q

What is the overall basic function of the thalamus?

A

It relays all sensory information (except olfactory information) before passing it onto the appropriate area of the cortex

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15
Q

Label the thalamic nuclei 1-4

A

1 - anterior nucleus

2 - lateral posterior nucleus

3 - pulvinar nucleus

4 - reticular nucleus

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16
Q

Label the thalamic nuclei 1-5

A

1 - dorsomedial nucleus

2 - medial geniculate nucleus

3 - lateral geniculate nucleus

4 - ventral posteromedial (VPM) nucleus

5 - ventral posterolateral (VPL) nucleus

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17
Q

What is the function of the anterior nucleus?

A

It is connected to the hippocampus so is thought to be involved in memory

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18
Q

What is the function of the dorsomedial nucleus?

A

Emotional behaviour

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19
Q

What is the function of the ventral anterior and ventrolateral nuclei?

A

Involved in motor function

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20
Q

What is the function of the ventral posterolateral (VPL) and ventral posteromedial (VPM) nuclei?

A

They act as relay nuclei for sending somatosensory information to the somatosensory cortex

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21
Q

What is the function of the lateral posterior nucleus?

A

Integrates sensory input with cognitive functions

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22
Q

What is the function of the pulvinar nucleus?

A

Processes visual stimuli

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23
Q

What is the function of the medial geniculate nucleus?

A

Relays auditory information

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24
Q

What is the function of the lateral geniculate nucleus?

A

Relays visual information

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25
What is the function of the reticular nucleus?
Forms a sheath over the thalamus
26
What is the function of the centromedian nucleus?
Attention and arousal
27
Label the part of the brain 1 and 2
1 - amygdala 2 - hippocampus
28
Label the parts of the brain 1-3
1 - hypothalamus 2 - mammillary body 3 - midbrain
29
How many cortical layers are there?
Six (I-VI)
30
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the visual cortex?
Areas 17, 18, 19
31
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the primary motor cortex?
Area 4
32
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the somatosensory cortex?
Areas 1, 2, 3
33
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the auditory cortex?
Areas 41, 42
34
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the premotor area (PMA)?
Area 6
35
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the supplementary motor area?
Area 6
36
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the posterior parietal cortex?
Areas 5, 7
37
Which Brodmann areas are associated with the inferotemporal cortex?
Areas 20, 21, 37
38
What part of the brain is associated with the dorsal visual stream and what is its function?
Primary visual cortex -\> posterior parietal cortex Involved in spatial perception
39
What part of the brain is associated with the ventral visual stream and what is its function?
Primary visual cortex -\> inferotemporal cortex Involved in object recognition
40
What is the role of the anterior temporal lobe in memory?
Involved in semantic memory (common knowledge) i.e. names of colours, capital cities, etc.
41
What is the function of the lateral prefrontal cortex?
Executive function, planning and working memory Might provide a transient buffer linking memory representations from different cortical regions
42
What is the function of the ventromedial/orbitofrontal segments of the prefrontal cortex?
Social cognition/decision making
43
What is the function of the anterior cingulate cortex?
Reward-based learning and social cognition
44
Which area of the brain is shaped like a seahorse?
Hippocampus
45
Label areas 1-5
1 - hippocampus 2 - parahippocampal cortex 3 - perirhinal cortex 4 - rhinal sulcus 5 - entorhinal cortex
46
Label areas 1-3
1 - perirhinal cortex 2 - entorhinal cortex 3 - parahippocampal cortex
47
Label areas 1-4
1 - dentate gyrus 2 - CA3 3 - CA1 4 - subiculum
48
Fill in the blanks in this diagram of hierarchial processing in the MTL memory system
1 - hippocampus 2 - perirhinal cortex 3 - parahippocampal cortex
49
Label areas 1-6
1 - hippocampus 2 - caudate nucleus 3 - lateral geniculate nucleus 4 - thalamus 5 - putamen 6 - superior temporal gyrus
50
Brifely describe the parts of the brain involved in the hippocampal trisynaptic circuit
Entorhinal cortex -\> dentate gyrus -\> CA3 -\> CA1 -\> subiculum and then loops back to the entorhinal cortex
51
Which layer of entorhinal neurons provide the main input to the dentate gyrus and CA3? bonus - in what disease is there damage to these neurons?
Layer II entorhinal neurons bonus - Alzheimer's
52
What role is the hippocampus best known for?
Memory
53
What forms the hippocampal formation?
Hippocampus. parahippocampal gyrus and dentate gyrus
54
Name the parts of the parahippocampal gyrus
Entorhinal cortex and subiculum
55
What is the main pathway by which the hippocampus receives information from the rest of the brain?
Perforant pathway
56
Describe the parts involved in the perforant pathway
Originates in the entorhinal cortex and projects to the dentate gyrus. Fibres then leave the dentate gyrus and project to neurons in the CA3 region then the CA1 region and finally project to neurons in the subiculum
57
What is the main output region of the hippocampal formation?
Subiculum
58
What does the fornix connect the hippocampus to?
Mammillary bodies then the thalamus and hypothalamus
59
What does the Papez circuit have a role in?
Emotional expression
60
Describe the neural pathways involved in the Papex circuit
Subiculum -\> fornix -\> mammillary body -\> anterior thalamic nucleus -\> cingulate gyrus -\> entorhinal cortex -\> subiculum
61
What is the limbic system most frequently linked to (in terms of function)?
Emotion
62
Name the structures of the limbic system
Amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, fornix, mammillary body, septal nuclei, hypothalamus, cingulate cortex
63
What emotions are the amygdala associated with?
Fear and anxiety
64
What is the cingulate gyrus involved in?
Memory and emotion
65
What emotions are the septal nuclei involved in?
Pleasure, reward and reinforcement
66
What role do the mamillary bodies have in the limbic system?
Memory
67
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
Plays a key role in homeostasis
68
Label areas of the brain 1-6
1 - caudate nucleus 2 - cingulate gyrus 3 - ventricle 4 - amygdala 5 - putamen 6 - globus pallidus
69
Label areas of the brain 1-7
1 - thalamus 2 - caudate nucleus 3 - putamen 4 - globus pallidus (external segment) 5 - globus pallidus (internal segment) 6 - subthalamic nucleus 7 - substantia nigra
70
What makes up the striatum?
Caudate nucleus and putamen
71
Label areas of the brain 1-5
1 - caudate nucleus 2 - putamen 3 - globus pallidus 4 - subthalamic nucleus 5 - substantia nigra
72
What structures are included in the basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus and substantia nigra
73
What is the main role of the basal ganglia?
Facilitating movement
74
What are the main input nuclei of the basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus and putamen
75
What are the main output nuclei of the basal ganglia?
Globus pallidus and substantia nigra
76
Where does information that the basal ganglia receive usually come from and travel to?
Usually comes from the cerebral cortex and travels to the caudate nucleus or putamen
77
The main output of the basal ganglia is inhibitory. What structures are involved in this output?
Neurons in the globus pallidus are constantly inhibiting the thalamus to prevent unwanted movements
78
What happens when a signal to initiate movement is sent from the cortex to the basal ganglia?
It follows the direct pathway
79
Describe the direct pathway
Silencing of neurons in the globus pallidus frees the thalamus and allows movement to occur
80
Describe the indirect pathway
Involves the subthalamic nucleus and leads to increased suppression of unwanted movements
81
How does smooth movement occur via the basal ganglia?
A balance between the direct and indirect pathways
82
What does the hyperdirect pathway do?
Inhibits movement by suppressing unwanted movements
83
Are glutamatergic inputs from the cortex and thalamus to medium spiny neurons (MSNs) inhibitory or excitatory?
Excitatory
84
Are dopaminergic inputs from the substantia nigra to the MSNs inhibitory or excitatory?
Inhibitory or excitatory
85
Are inputs from GABA-ergic interneurons to MSNs inhibitory or excitatory?
Inhibitory
86
What is the overall output of MSNs?
Inhibitory
87
What is one of the main functions of the substantia nigra?
Movement
88
Name the 2 distinct regions of the substantia nigra
Pars compacta and pars reticulata
89
Why is the substantia nigra dark in colour?
Due to large numbers of dopamine neurons in the pars compacta which express high levels of neuromelanin
90
Most of the dopamine producing neurons of the brain are found in the substantia nigra or?
The ventral tegmental area (VTA)
91
What type of neuron occupies most of the pars reticulata?
GABA neurons
92
What are the components of the nigrostriatal pathway?
Dopamine neurons from the pars compacta project to the caudate nucleus and putamen (striatum). These dopamine neurons make up a large bundle of fibres called the nigrostriatal pathway
93
What happens to the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease?
Death of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra which leads to patients displaying severe movement deficits
94
D1 dopamine receptors are excitatory and D2 receptors are inhibitory. True or false?
True
95
What are corticospinal projections?
A direct route from the primary motor cortex to the spinal cord
96
What do Betz cells do and what layer are they found in?
Found in layer V and project down to the spinal cord
97
What does the anterior corticospinal tract do?
Controls movements of the proximal musculature e.g. torso
98
What does the lateral corticospinal tract do?
Controls movement of distal musculature e.g. fingers
99
Describe the route taken by the corticospinal tract
Originates in the motor cortex then descends to the brain stem, entering the midbrain through the cerebral peduncles. The tract continues into the medulla where the fibres form 2 bundles called the pyramids. The lateral tract will decussate here which makes up about 90% of the fibre. The other 10% (anterior tract) will travel down the same side of the body and decussate at the spinal level where they synapse with a LMN
100
What happens when there is damage to the UMNs?
Weakness, paralysis, hyperactive reflexes, abnormal muscle tone. Patients may regain ability to make crude movements but fine movements will remain impaired

Neuroanatomy and neurodegenerative disorders (7 decks)

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