Forebrain / Diencephalon

Question 1

Internal Capsule - Anterior Limb

Answer 1

Input from anterior and DM nuclei of thalamus

Output to cingulate gyrus and prefrontal cortex

Question 2

Internal Capsule - Posterior Limb

Answer 2

Originates in motor cortex and VPL/VPM thalamus

Terminates in brainstem & spinal cord

Question 3

Internal Capsule - Sublenticular Limb

Answer 3

Originates in LGN and MGN thalamus

Terminates in Visual and Auditory cortex

Question 4

Internal Capsule - Retrolenticular Limb

Answer 4

Originates in Pulvinar and LGN nuclei

Terminates in parietal association and visual cortex

Question 5

Anterior nucleus of the thalamus

Answer 5

Originates in mammilothalamic tract

Terminates in cingulate cortex

Question 6

Lateral geniculate nucleus

Answer 6

Input from optic tract

Output to visual cortex

Question 7

Medial geniculate nucleus

Answer 7

Input from inferior coliculus

Output to auditory cortex

Question 8

VA/VL Thalamus

Answer 8

Part of the motor system; input from ipsilateral globus pallidus and contralateral cerebellum

Output to motor cortex

Question 9

VPL/VPM Thalamus

Answer 9

Part of the somatosensory system

Input from medial lemniscus and spinothalamic tracts (VPL) and their trigeminal equivalents (VPM)

Output to somatosensory cortex

Question 10

Primary somatosensory cortex = Broadman’s areas x?

Answer 10

3, 1, 2

Question 11

Primary motor cortex = Broadman’s area x?

Answer 11

4

Question 12

Primary visual cortex = Broadman’s area x?

Answer 12

17

Question 13

Primary auditory cortex = Broadman’s area x?

Answer 13

41

Question 14

Physiology of the delta frequency

Answer 14

During slow wave sleep, thalamic reticular activating neurons inhibit thalamic relay neurons; hyperpolarization to -85mV opens an oscillating T-Type Ca2+ channel and these Ca2+ spikes generate bursts of fast Na+ action potentials at a frequency of 3Hz which activate cortical pyramidal cells at this same frequency

Question 15

Role of T-Type Ca2+ channels in epilepsy

Answer 15

Valproic Acid and Ethosuximide both inhibit T-type Ca2+ channels and are effective treatments against epilepsy

Question 16

Role of ACh in sleep physiology

Answer 16

ACh is released in the thalamus by the thalamic reticular activating sleep; ACh release stimulates waking of the animal from sleep and slow thalamocortical waves stop