Motor Systems L4 Flashcards
What are the basal ganglia?
5 Gray matter nuclei which help to control and coordinate movement
What is the motor pathway taken to control movement?
Called the corticospinal tract (pyramidal tract)
UMNs start out in the primary motor cortex.
Run down the internal capsule, down through the pyramidal tract in the pons and down to the medulla
85% decussate here, and from both sides this looks like a pyramid hatching shape
Run down the lateral corticospinal tract
end in the lateral white matter, synapse with a LMN
LMN exits the spinal cord via anterior root
15 % do not decussate in the medulla
Run down the ventral corticospinal tract
Decussate at the individual spinal level
Synapses with (interneuron) LMN
LMN exits the spinal cord via the anterior root
What are the 5 basal ganglia and their relative positions?
Caudate Nucleius: Most superior and anterior
Putamen: Most lateral and inferior to caudate nucleius
Globus Pallidus: medial to the putamen. External is lateral to internal segment
Sub- thalamic nucleus: Inferior to thalamus. Medial
Sibstantia Nigra: Pars compacta and reticulata. Inferior to sub thalamic nucleus.
What is the connective pathway between the cerebral cortex and the striatum? (Inc. neurotransmitters involved)
Neuron from cerebral cortex planning area talks to the striatum to clarify what movements are needed. Uses GLUT
Neurons between striatum to GP ex and GP int.
Neuron from GP int. to VA-VL area of thalamus. Uses GABA. This is inhibitory and suppresses successive nerves from firing. If suppressed, it allows nerves to fire uninhibited- a balance is required.
Neuron from VA-VL to cerebral cortex, where is uses GLUT to activate an UMN
What are the functions of the basal ganglia?
- Mood expression through movement- ability to display our mood
- Initiation of movement
- Fine motor control
What is the pathway between the cerebellum and the UMNs?
Neuron from Cerebellum to VA-VL using glutamate to stimulate the following neuron
Neuron from VA-VL to the UMN of the cerebral cortex
What are the functions of the cerebellum?
- Coordination of movement
- Unconscious movements
Balance - Ballistic movement
- Termination of movement
What are the functions of basal ganglia?
initiation of movement
no direct output/input to the spinal cord
conveying mood through movement
modifies movement after practice to be smoother, more precise
Lesion in the left side of the cerebellum would affect what type of movements on what part of the body?
- Movements would be uncoordinated on the left side of the body
Same side as the damage
Lesion/damage in the left side of basal ganglia would result in what type of movement on what side of the body?
-Unrefined movement on the right side of the body( the opposite side to the lesion)
Damage to the lower motor neuron on the right side results in flaccid paralysis on which side of the body?
Right (the same side as the damage and the neurons at this point have already decussated and are now operating on one side of the body)
Damage to the arm area on the right side of the motor cortex results in:
The left side of the body is affected (the opposite side as upper motor neurons decussate into the opposite side of the body)
the left arm will exhibit spastic paralysis, loss of voluntary control of the limb
Characteristic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
- bradykinesia/ hypokinesia
- rigidity
- tremor at rest
Basal ganglia circuit
- A neuron fiber housed in the planning part( premotor cortex) is sent down to the striatum. It uses glutamate (excitatory neurotransmitter). Activates the basal ganglia circuit.
- In the striatum : 3 locations where the main striatal neurons project to Globus Pallidus external segment, Substantia Nigra, Globus pallidus internal segment. All these 3 neurons use GABA ( Gamma amino butyric acid) inhibitory. When these 3 neurons fire it dampens down the response in the neurons they are connected to.
- Another set of neurons goes from Globus Pallidus internal segment and goes up to the VA-VL region of the thalamus. This neuron is also inhibitory (uses GABA)
- Neuron within the thalamus goes up to the premotor cortex->motor cortex (uses excitatory neurotransmitter)
- Pyramidal cell is activated-> goes down corticospinal tract-> lower motor neuron in the spinal cord-> muscle is activated.
What are the 3 locations where the main striatal nerve projects to?
- Globus Pallidus external and internal segments
- Substantia nigra
What is the function of Substantia nigra in the basal ganglia circuit?
A lot of fibers from Substantia nigra, synapse on the 3 types of neurons in the Striatum. These neurons use dopamine. Dopamine can be inhibitory or excitatory depending on the type of receptor on the receiving cell. These dopamine neurons keep the 3 neurons in the striatum primed & ready to fire. So little glutamate is needed to activate these neurons.
Presensitize the neurons in the basal ganglia
What is striatum?
Putamen+ caudate nucleus
What are the 5 nuclei in the basal ganglia?
The caudate nucleus,
putamen
globus pallidus ( external & internal segment)
Subthalamic nucleus
Substantia nigra
What portion of dopamine is produced in substantia nigra?
85-90%
What allows the 1st order neurons in the discriminative sensation pathway to decussate ?
Internal arcuate fibres