Motor systems Flashcards
Describe the functional segregation of motor control
Functional segregation
Motor system organised in a number of different areas that control different aspects of movement
Describe the hierarchical organisation of motor control
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)
Summarise motor system hierarchy
The motor cortex (both primary and association) receives information from other cortical areas and sends commands to the thalamus (via basal ganglia) and brainstem
Information from the thalamus then feeds back to the motor cortices
The motor cortex passes commands to the spinal cord ( to control muscles of the body) and brainstem to control muscles of the face, head and neck
The cerebellum and basal ganglia adjusts the commands received from other parts of the motor control system to fine-tune the movement
Cerebellum feeds to thalamus and brainstem
Basal ganglia feeds to the thalamus
Outline the hierarchy in motor control
o Level 4 (highest) – association cortex.
o Level 3 – motor cortex.
o Level 2 – brain stem and cerebellum (side loop structure (SLS)).
o Level 1 (lowest) – basal ganglia (SLS (e.g. caudate nucleus)) and spinal cord
What are the 3 main areas of the motor cortex
Has got 3 main areas:
- Primary motor cortex or M1 – Broadmann’s area 4.
- Premotor cortex – Broadmann’s area 6.
- Supplementary motor area – Broadmann’s area 6
Describe the primary motor cortex (M1)
Location: precentral gyrus, anterior to the central sulcus
Function: control fine, discrete, precise voluntary movement
Provide descending signals to execute movement
Betz cells exist in layer V of the cerebral cortex. They are the biggest cells in the cerebral cortex- pyramidal cells
They are found in the 5th layer of grey matter
The corticospinal tracts originate from here
M1 is in the frontal lobe
Describe the somatotopic organisation of the primary motor cortex
The somatotopic organisation of the primary motor cortex is known as Penfield’s motor homunculus.
Organisation: somatotopic - whereby face and lips are most lateral, moving medially to control hands > arms > legs > feet (anterior cerebral artery); more sensory receptors = larger area
The face and hands have a large area of the brain to control them because they have more fine control.
Summarise the motor homunculus
Each area of the body which is under motor control is represented in the primary motor cortex and these representations are arranged somatotopically: the foot is next to the leg which is next to the trunk which is next to the arm and the hand.
The amount of brain matter devoted to any particular body part represents the amount of control that the primary motor cortex has over that body part. A lot of cortical area is required to
control the complex movements of the hand and fingers, and these body parts have larger representations in M-I than the trunk or legs, whose muscle patterns are relatively simple
State the descending motor pathways
Corticospinal (pyramidal) and subcorticospinal tracts:
Cortico-spinal tracts (CST) Rubrospinal tracts Reticulospinal tracts Vestibulospinal tracts Organization of CST
Summarise the descending pathways
Integration of inputs from somatosensory cortex into layer IV of M1
Layer V (grey matter) contains pyramidal cells – the large Betz cells are visible
Projects to white matter below layer VI and then to internal capsule
Travels via cerebral peduncles to medulla where fibres come together as pyramids
Fibres decussate – 80% cross to form lateral corticospinal tract and 20% remain uncrossed forming anterior corticospinal tract
Tracts project to ventral horns and motoneurons
Describe the lateral and medial descending pathways
Lateral • Lateral corticospinal tract • Rubrospinal tract Medial • Anterior corticospinal tract • Reticulospinal tract • Vestibulospinal tract • Tectospinal tract
Broadly, what is the function of the lateral and medial descending pathways
Lateral • Control of proximal and distal musculature • Voluntary movements or arms and legs Medial • Control of axial muscles • Balance and posture
Describe the lateral corticospinal tract
Lateral corticospinal tract: supplies skeletal muscles in distal parts of limbs
Upper motor neurone emerges from primary motor cortex and travels through internal capsule
UMN passes through cerebral peduncle of midbrain, travelling through pons
UMN undergoes pyramidal decussation in the medulla
UMN descends down contralateral lateral corticospinal tract to the correct spinal level
UMN synapses to Lower motor neurone in ventral horn
LMN exits cord via the ventral root
Describe the anterior corticospinal tract
Anterior corticospinal tract: supplies muscles of the trunk and proximal limbs
Upper motor neurone emerges from primary motor cortex and travels through internal capsule
UMN passes through cerebral peduncle of midbrain, travelling through pons
UMN DOES NOT undergo pyramidal decussation in the medulla, remaining ipsilateral
UMN descends down ipsilateral half of anterior corticospinal tract to the correct spinal level
UMN synapses to LMN in contralateral ventral horn to Lower motor neurone
LMN exits cord via the ventral root
Describe the corticobulbar pathways
Corticobulbar pathway: supplies the muscles of the head, neck and face - carrying the motor cranial nerves (V, VII, IX and XII)
Upper motor neurone emerges from head region of motor cortex
UMN passes through corticobulbar tract to brainstem
UMN synapses to CN in contralateral brainstem motor nuclei
CN passes out of brainstem to innervate muscles
Describe the differences in synaptic transmission of the upper and Lower motor neurones
Upper to lower motor neurones NT = glutamate.
Lower neurone to muscle fibres NT = ACh.
What is the function of the rubrospinal tract
It is an alternative pathway that allows voluntary motor commands to be sent down the spinal cord meaning that the body can compensate for a lesion in the primary motor cortex.
It also has a role in movement velocity.
Describe the structure and function of the vestibulospinal tract
The lateral vestibulospinal tract originates at the lateral vestibular nucleus.
The medial vestibulospinal tract originates at the medial vestibular nucleus.
They mediate postural adjustments and head and eye movements
Describe the structure and function of the reticulospinal tract
It originates in the reticular formation in the brainstem then goes down the spinal cord to innervate muscle. It is involved in complex actions: • Orienting • Stretching • Maintaining a complex posture
Describe the structure and function of the tectospinal tract
It originates in the superior colliculus (brainstem)
Its function is not known but is most likely involved in reflexive turning of the head to orient to visual stimuli.
Describe the premotor cortex
Location: frontal lobe anterior to M1
Function: planning of movements and their coordination
Regulates externally cued movements
e.g. seeing an apple and reaching out for it requires moving a body part relative to another body part (intra-personal space) and movement of the body in the environment (extra-personal space)
Describe the supplementary motor cortex
Location: frontal lobe anterior to M1, medially
Function: planning complex movements; programming sequencing of movements
Regulates internally driven movements (e.g. speech)
SMA becomes active when thinking about a movement before executing that movement (rehearsing a dance)
Describe the role of the association cortices
Brain areas not strictly motor areas as their activity does not correlate with motor output/act
Posterior parietal cortex: ensures movements are targeted accurately to objects in external space
Prefrontal cortex: involved in selection of appropriate movements for a particular course of action- personality impact and influence of previous experiences
Give some important definitions relating to the motor system
Lower motor neuron Spinal cord, brainstem Upper motor neuron Corticospinal, corticobulbar Pyramidal Lateral corticospinal tract Extrapyramidal Basal ganglia, cerebellum
What are the negative signs of an upper motor neurone lesion
Loss of function (negative signs):
Paresis: graded weakness of movements
Paralysis (plegia): complete loss of muscle activity
What are the positive signs of an upper motor neurone lesion
Increased abnormal motor function (positive signs) due to loss of inhibitory descending inputs:
Spasticity: increased muscle tone
Hyper-reflexia: exaggerated reflexes
Clonus: abnormal oscillatory muscle contraction
Babinski’s sign
no muscle atrophy
What is Babinski’s sign
You stroke the plantar surface of the foot and in a normal subject you will see flexion of the toes (they curl downwards)
In the case of upper motor neurone lesions, the patient will show an EXTENSOR PLANTAR RESPONSE where their toes fan out and their big toe lifts up.
Why is atrophy not seen in upper motor neurone lesions
The lower motor neurones are still in tact and they have a role in providing nutrients to the muscle.
There will still be partial atrophy due to muscle disuse.
Describe 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)
Any disease of these areas can cause apraxia, although stroke and dementia are the most common causes
What is apraxia caused by
A disorder of skilled movement not caused by weakness, abnormal tone or posture or movement disorders (tremors or chorea).
It is caused by the loss of information on how to perform skilled tasks rather than loss of motor command to the muscles.
Describe the features of lower motor neurone lesions
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