Cortical Functions and Thalamocortical Relationships

Question 1

Name Brodmann’s areas 44 and 45 and their function:

Answer 1

Broca’s area, motor control of speech

Question 2

Which modality is processed in Brodmann’s areas 17,18,19?

Answer 2

Vision

Question 3

What is the general function of the insular cortex?

Answer 3

Visceral control

Question 4

Name the thalamic nucleus that receives input from the amygdala and communicates with the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 4

Mediodorsal Nucleus

Question 5

Which thalamic nucleus receives input from the hypothalamus or hippocampus and communicates with the cingulate gyrus?

Answer 5

Anterior Nucleus

Question 6

What type of neurons make up the reticular nucleus of thalamus?

Answer 6

Inhibitory GABAergic neurons

Question 7

Where does the reticular nucleus of thalamus send projections to?

Answer 7

Other thalamic nuclei

Question 8

What is the importance of the reticular nucleus?

Answer 8

It allows the thalamus to act as a sensory filter by inhibiting thalamic nuclei.

Question 9

What do you call a large synaptic terminal in thalamus that ascends from sensory inputs and does not innervate the reticular nucleus of thalamus that carries sensory information from the periphery or from the neocortex?

Answer 9

Driver

Question 10

What do you call a small synaptic terminal in thalamus that descends from cortex and innervates the reticular nucleus of thalamus that carries information from the neocortex?

Answer 10

Modulator

Question 11

Can fibers sent to thalamus from cortex be drivers? Explain:

Answer 11

Yes, if the projection is sent to higher order nuclei of thalamus the synaptic terminal may be a driver.

Question 12

What thalamic nuclei receive input from the Basal Ganglia and cerebellum and communicates with the Motor Cortex?

Answer 12

Ventral Anterior and Ventral Lateral

Question 13

What thalamic nuclei receive somesthetic information from the joints and skin and communicate with somatosensory cortex?

Answer 13

Ventroposteriolateral, Ventroposteriomedial

Question 14

What thalamic nucleus receives input from the Auditory system and communicates with auditory cortex?

Answer 14

Medial Geniculate Nucleus

Question 15

What thalamic nucleus receives input from the visual system and communicates with the visual cortex?

Answer 15

lateral geniculate nucleus

Question 16

Fibers travelling from the thalamus to the cortex pass through which fiber bundles on the way?

Answer 16

Internal Capsule, Corona Radiata

Question 17

Describe the axons which carry sensory information from the periphery to first order thalamic nuclei:

Answer 17

They have large beaded varicosities and round large synaptic terminals. They also have an increased number of synaptic vesicles.

Question 18

True or False: The Reticular nucleus of Thalamus projects to the cortex.

Answer 18

False, the R.N. only projects to thalamic nuclei.

Question 19

Which thalamic nucleus receives information from the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes and communicates with the POT association cortex?

Answer 19

Pulvinar Nucleus

Question 20

Which thalamic nucleus receives inputs from the somatosensory cortex and communicates with the motor cortex?

Answer 20

Posterior