Diencephalon

Question 1

What are the four main structures of the diencephalon?

Answer 1

Thalamus, hypothalamus, subthalamus, and epithalamus.

Question 2

What is the primary role of the thalamus?

Answer 2

Processing sensory information and relaying it to the cortex.

Question 3

Which sensory information bypasses the thalamus?

Answer 3

Olfactory sensory information.

Question 4

What are the three groups of thalamic nuclei?

Answer 4

Anterior, medial, and lateral groups.

Question 5

What is the function of the reticular nucleus?

Answer 5

Plays a role in sleep-wake cycles.

Question 6

What do specific thalamic nuclei do?

Answer 6

Receive sensory signals and project to specific cortical areas.

Question 7

What is retrograde thalamic degeneration?

Answer 7

Thalamic nuclei degenerate due to lesions in sensory cortical areas.

Question 8

What is the main function of the hypothalamus?

Answer 8

Controlling the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Question 9

What is homeostasis, and how is it maintained?

Answer 9

Physiological adjustments to maintain balance; regulated by the hypothalamus.

Question 10

What does the pituitary gland regulate?

Answer 10

Hormonal communication and endocrine gland control.

Question 11

What nuclei are involved in hunger and thirst?

Answer 11

Nuclei in the lateral hypothalamic zone.

Question 12

What does the suprachiasmatic nucleus control?

Answer 12

The sleep-wake cycle via the pineal gland.

Question 13

What are the two nuclear groups of the subthalamus?

Answer 13

Subthalamic nucleus and zona incerta.

Question 14

What is the role of the subthalamic nucleus?

Answer 14

Voluntary movement control.

Question 15

What two structures make up the epithalamus?

Answer 15

Pineal gland and habenula.

Question 16

What hormone does the pineal gland secrete?

Answer 16

Melatonin.

Question 17

What is the function of the habenula?

Answer 17

Plays a role in addiction and nicotine resistance.

Question 18

What are the three main structures of the basal ganglia?

Answer 18

Caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus.

Question 19

What is the role of the basal ganglia?

Answer 19

Influencing voluntary movement control.

Question 20

What is the direct pathway in the basal ganglia?

Answer 20

Facilitates movement by exciting the motor cortex.

Question 21

What is the indirect pathway in the basal ganglia?

Answer 21

Inhibits movement by reducing motor cortex activity.

Question 22

What is the hyperdirect pathway?

Answer 22

Rapidly inhibits movement, acting as an emergency brake.

Question 23

What is the nigrostriatal pathway?

Answer 23

Connects the substantia nigra and striatum; involves dopamine.

Question 24

What disease is caused by degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway?

Answer 24

Parkinson’s disease.

Question 25

What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 25

Rigidity, slowness, tremors, and difficulty initiating movements.

Question 26

What is Huntington’s disease?

Answer 26

A neurodegenerative disease affecting GABAergic and cholinergic neurons.

Question 27

What are the symptoms of Huntington’s disease?

Answer 27

Excessive, uncontrollable movements and inability to stop movements.

Question 28

What type of neurons are lost in Huntington’s disease?

Answer 28

GABAergic and cholinergic neurons.

Question 29

What is the main function of association thalamic nuclei?

Answer 29

Integrating information from different brain areas.

Question 30

How does the basal ganglia communicate with the cortex?

Answer 30

Via loops through the thalamus for movement control.