Cerebellum/Basal Ganglia/Motor Cortices Flashcards
three main functions of cerebellum
- monitor and adjust ongoing motor behavior (precision and smoothness is poor without the cerebellum)
- contribute to motor learning
- participate in cognitive functions
four types of experiments to ID cerebellum function
- lesions give problems with coordination and balance, problems with learning new motor skills, and problems with some “higher functions”
- tract-tracing
- neural recording. Cerebellar neurons change firing frequency when limb is moved or you touch the skin
- fMRI, PET
three parts of cerebellar cortex
cerebrocerebellum
spinocerebellum (the part receive sensory inputs, somatotopic mapping)
vestibulocerebellum
three deep cerebellar nuclei
dentate nuclei
interposed nuclei
fastigial nuclei
three cerebellar peduncles
superior
middle
inferior
cerebellum talks to CNS through peduncles;
the lateral part of the cerebellar cortex communicate with dentate, the largest nuclei, and run in the middle pedunculi which receives axons from, and distribute axons to the cerebral cortex
define: vermis, additional name?
midline of cerebellum
spinocerebellum
define: flocculus, additional name?
bottom part of cerebellum
vestibulocerebellum (balance)
define: Foli, additional name?
folds of cerebellum
cerebrocerebellum
what are the inputs to the cerebellum?
- cortical input (frontal + parietal cortex -> pontine nuclei)
- vestibular nuclei
- cuneate nucleus (spinal cord, medial lemniscal pathway)
- non-sensory input: climbing fibers, exclusively arising from inferior olive
what are the outputs of the cerebellum?
via (large) deep cerebellar nuclei to cerebral cortex (via thalamus), spinal cord (through reticular formation), and center for eye control
one exception is fibers from flocculus go out of the cerebellum without contacting the deep cerebellar nuclei
input from cerebral cortex goes to_in cerebellum
input from pons goes to_ in cerebellum
input from vestibular organs goes to_ in cerebellum
input from spinal cord goes to_in cerebellum
(not in the lecture)
cerebrocerebellum
cerebrocerebellum and spinocerebellum
vestibulocerebellum
spinocerebellum, vermis
cerebrocerebellum outputs to_
spinocerebellum projects to_
vermis projects to_
(not in the lecture)
dentate nucleus-> thalamus
interposed nucleus
fastigial nucleus -> reticular formation
what are the 3 layers of cerebellar cortex?
molecular, purkinje, granular
together they form gray matter, white matter is myelinated axons
purkinje cell (output)
- inhibitory cell in cerebellum that inhibits deep cerebellar nuclear cell
- only purkinje cell project out from the cerebellar cortex to the deep cerebellar nuclei
- the dendritic tree of Purkinje cells lie in one place, perpendicular to the parallel fibers
climbing fiber (input)
- excitatory cell in cerebellum that originates in inferior olive
- STRONGly excites multiple purkinje cell, each PC receives only one climbing fiber
- all from inferior olivary nucleus, connect exclusively to Purkinje cells
mossy fiber (input)
- originates from many different sources. several mossy fibers synapse to a single granule cell
- excitatory
granule cell
- neuron within cerebellum. Receives excitatory input from mossy fibers. Bifurcates into parallel fiber
- a parallel fiber can synapse only on a specific purkinje cell, but one purkinje cell to five fibers
- forms weak excitatory synapse onto purkinje cell, thus many granule celle are needed to fire a Purkinje cell
- the only excitatory type in cerebellar cortex, converging on purkinje cell
- thre are no excitatory synapses onto other excitatory cells, preventing information and excitation from spreading
basket cell
inhibits purkinje cell in cerebellum, may regulate precise time output
where do the inputs to the basal ganglia come from?
- limb cortex
- motor cortex
- associative cortex
what are the outputs of the basal ganglia and what are their functions?
- superior colliculus: head and eye mvt
- thalamus: motor control
- pedunculo-pontine nucleus: spinal cord processing + locomotion
striatum
inputs, kinds of cells in it. DIfference between primates and rodent?
- dorsal: caudate nucleus and putamen
ventral: accumbens - glutamatergic input from all areas of cortex + thalamus
- dopaminergic input from substantia nigra compacta
- intrinsic connections: gabaergic and cholingergic
- medium sized spiny neurons and striatal interneurons
In rodents, caudate and putamen are a single structure. In primates, they are separated by internal capsule.
striatal projection cells: MSNs
- 90% of cells in striatum
- GABAergic (inhibitory)
- main output of striatum
- slow activity at rest but active during movement/learning
- MSNs considered “phasically active neurons”