Motor control & movement disorders Flashcards
what are the main principles of motor control?
hierarchical organisation and functional segregation
what is hierarchical organisation?
high order areas of hierarchy are involved in more complex tasks (programme and decide on movements, coordinate muscle activity)
lower level areas of hierarchy perform lower level tasks (execution of movement)
what is functional segregation in terms of motor control?
Motor system organised in a number of different areas that control different aspects of movement
Motor system hierarchy diagram
what are the two major types of descending tracts?
pyramidal tracts (pass through the pyramids of the medulla)
extrapyramidal tracts (do not pass through the pyramids of the medulla)
what is the function of the pyramidal tracts?
voluntary movements of body and face
what are the 2 the pyramidal tracts
corticospinal and corticobulbar
What are the four extrapyramidal tracts?
Vestibulospinal
Reticulospinal
Tectospinal
Rubrospinal
What is the broad function of the extrapyramidal tracts?
involuntary (automatic) movements for balance, posture and locomotion
what is the pathway for pyramidal tracts?
pass through pyramids of the medulla
motor cortex to spinal cord or cranial nerve nuclei in brainstem
what is the pathway for extrapyramidal tracts?
brainstem nuclei to spinal cord
do not pass through pyramids of the medulla
where is the primary motor control area located
precentral gyrus, anterior to the central sulcus
what is the role of the primary motor cortex?
controls fine, discrete precise voluntary movement - sends descending signals for execution of movement
where is the premotor control area?
anterior to primary motor cortex, lateral to the supplementray motor area
what is the role of the premotor area?
involved in planning movements, regulating externally cued movements (e.g seeing an apple and reaching out for it)
where is the supplementary motor area?
Located anterior and medial to primary motor cortex
what is the role of the supplementary motor area?
planning complex movements and regulating internally cued movements (e.g. internally cued, speech)
becomes active prior to voluntary movements
what is the corticospinal tract split into?
lateral (limb muscles) and anterior (trunk) corticospinal tract
which corticospinal fibres cross in the pyramids of decussation?
lateral corticospinal tract (85-90%) of corticospinal
which corticospinal fibres don’t decussate in the pyramids?
anterior corticospinal tract (10-15%)
Corticospinal tract pathway
Somatotopic representation
what is the function of the corticobulbar tract?
principle motor pathway for voluntary movements in the face and neck
what nuclei do eye movements originate from?
oculomotor, trochlear and abducens nucleus
what nucleus controls the muscles of the jaw?
trigeminal motor nucleus
what nucleus controls the muscles of the face?
facial nucleus
what nucleus controls the tongue?
hypoglossal nucleus
what is the role of the vestibulospinal tract?
stabilise head during body/head movements
coordinates head & eye movement
mediates postural adjustments
what is the reticulospinal tract, where does it originate from and what is its role?
Most primitive descending tract - from medulla and pons
Changes in muscles tone associated with voluntary movement
Postural stability
Where does the tectospinal tract originate from and what is its role?
From superior colliculus of midbrain
Orientation of the head and neck during eye movements
Where does the rubrospinal tract originate from and what is its role?
From red nucleus of midbrain
In humans mainly taken over by corticospinal tract
Innervate lower motor neurons of flexors of the upper limb
what are the negative signs of upper motor neuron lesions?
Loss of voluntary motor function
Paresis: graded weakness of movements
Paralysis (plegia): complete loss of voluntary muscle activity
what are the positive signs associated with upper motor neuron lesions?
Increased abnormal motor function due to loss of inhibitory descending inputs
Spasticity: increased muscle tone
Hyper-reflexia: exaggerated reflexes
Clonus: abnormal oscillatory muscle contraction
Babinski’s sign
what are the signs of a lower motor neuron lesion?
Weakness
Hypotonia (reduced muscle tone)
Hyporeflexia (reduced reflexes)
Muscle atrophy
Fasciculations: damaged motor units produce spontaneous action potentials, resulting in a visible twitch
Fibrillations: spontaneous twitching of individual muscle fibres; recorded during needle electromyography examination
what is apraxia?
Lesions in which brain regions can cause apraxia?
What diseases cause apraxia?
A disorder of skilled movement. Patients are not paretic but have lost information about how to perform skilled movements
Lesion of inferior parietal lobe, the frontal lobe (premotor cortex, supplementary motor area - SMA)
Any disease of these areas can cause apraxia, although stroke and dementia are the most common causes
what is motor neuron disease also known as?
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
what is ALS?
Progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the motor system
spectrum of disorders
what are the upper motor neuron signs of ALS?
Spasticity (increased tone of limbs and tongue)
Brisk limbs and jaw reflexes
Babinski’s sign
Loss of dexterity
Dysarthria (difficulty speaking)
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)