Lecture 12 - Lecture 11 - Contributions of Cerebellum to Motor Functions II

Question 1

What is the Putamen circuit of the basal nuclei, what is its special about its pathway, and what dopamine receptor does it use?

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Answer 1

Direct pathways with overall excitation of motor cortex.
Subconscious execution of learned movements.

Bypasses caudate nucleus (hence direct).

Uses disinhibition via two GABA signals.

Uses stimulatory, D1 dopamine receptors.

Question 2

What is the Caudate circuit of the basal nuclei, what is its special about its pathway, and what dopamine receptor does it use?

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Answer 2

Indirect pathway with overall inhibition of motor cortex.
Cognitive planning of sequential movement.

Goes through caudate nucleus (hence indirect).

Uses inhibitory, D2 dopamine receptors.

Question 3

Which basal nuclei pathway does Huntington’s disease affect and how?

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Answer 3

Destruction of inhibitory GABA neurons in the striatum results in increased motor activity due to loss of inhibition through caudate pathway.

Question 4

What is the most generalized inhibitory neurotransmitter?

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Answer 4

GABA