Motor Pathways; Corticol Motor System, Basal Ganglia & Cerebellum Flashcards
Describe the Functional segregation of motor control
Motor systems are organised in a number of different areas that control different aspects of MOVEMENT
Describe the Hierarchical organisation of motor control
HIGHER ORDER AREAS involved in more complex tasks (i.e. programme movements, coordinate muscle activity)
than LOWER LEVEL AREAS (execution of movement)
What are the hierarchical levels of motor control?
Level 4 (highest) - association cortex
Level 3 - motor cortex (precentral gyrus)
Level 2 - brain stem & cerebellum (refines motor cortex inputs)
Level 1 (lowest) - basal ganglia & spinal cord
3 main areas of the motor cortex?
- Primary Motor Cortex (M1)
- Premotor Cortex
- Supplementary Motor Area
Primary Motor Cortex location?
Precentral gyrus
i.e. ANTERIOR to the CENTRAL SULCUS
Primary Motor Cortex function?
o Control FINE, discrete, precises VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT
o provide DESCENDING signals to execute movement
Which cells are found in the primary motor cortex?
Betz cells!
Pyramidal cells located in LAYER V of the grey matter
Explain the somatotopic organisation of the Primary Motor Cortex
Penfields Motor Homunculus (ONENOTE!!)
Different areas of the cortex control different areas of the body
E.G. face & hands have large area as they have more fine control
Which tracts provides innervation to the arms, legs & axial structures (trunk & abdomen)?
Corticospinal tract
from Primary Motor Cortex
Passage of Lateral Corticospinal tract and what does it innervate?
- R-hemisphere of cortex
- Internal capsule
- Midbrain - cerebral peduncle
- Medulla - decussation at the pyramids!
- Ventral horn of SC - synpase w. LMN
- Innervate distal muscles
Distal muscles of limbs
Passage of Anterior Corticospinal tract and what does it innervate?
- R-hemisphere of cortex
- Internal capsule
- Midbrain - cerebral peduncle
- Medulla
- Ventral horn of SC - synpase w. LMN & decussation at spinal level
- Innervate proximal limbs & trunk muscles
Proximal limbs & trunk muscles
Which tracts provides innervation to the facial muscles?
Corticobulbar Tract
from Primary Motor Cortex - head region
Passage of Corticobulbar Tract and what does it innervate?
- Head region on Primary Motor Cortex
- Internal capsule
- Medulla - synpases at a CRANIAL NERVE NUCLEI (within brainstem)
NT associated with UMNs & LMNs?
Upper to LMN = GLUTAMATE
LMN to muscles fibres = ACH
Location of Premotor Cortex?
Frontal Lobe - ANTERIOR to M1
Function of the Premotor Cortex?
PLANNING of movements
o regulates externally cued movements
Location of the Supplementary Motor Area?
Frontal Love - ANTERIOR to M1 MEDIALLY
Function of the Supplementary Motor Area?
o Planning COMPLEX movements
o Programming SEQUENCING of movements
regulates internally driven movements e.g. speech
When does the Supplementary Motor Area become active?
When THINK about a movement BEFORE actually executing it
i.e. all about PRE-movement
Define the Association Cortex
Brain areas NOT strictly motor areas
AS
their activity does NOT correlate with motor output/act
2 cortical areas that make up the association cortex?
o Posterior Parietal Cortex
o Prefrontal Cortex
Posterior Parietal Cortex?
Part of Association Cortex
o ensures MOVEMENTS are TARGETED accurately to objects in EXTERNAL SPACE
i.e. motor learning & planning
Prefrontal Cortex?
Part of Association Cortex
o involved in SELECTION of APPROPRIATE MOVEMENTS for a particular course of action
i.e. personality input into a movement (e.g. if touch hot plate, avoid it again)
Define LMN & UMN
LMN:
o SC - ventral horn
o Brainstem - bulbar
UMN:
o Corticospinal
o Corticobulbar
Define Pryamidal & Extrapyramidal
Pyramidal:
o LATERAL corticospinal tract
Extrapyramidal:
o Basal Ganglia
o Cerebellum
Difference between pyramidal and extrapyramidal?
The pyramidal tracts (corticospinal tract and corticobulbar tracts) may directly innervate motor neurons of the spinal cord or brainstem (anterior (ventral) horn cells or certain cranial nerve nuclei),
WHEREAS
the extrapyramidal system centers on the modulation and regulation (indirect control) of anterior (ventral) horn cells.