Neuro - Anat & Phys (Thalamus, Limbic system, & Cerebellum) Flashcards
Pg. 452 in First Aid 2014 Sections include: -Thalamus -Limbic system -Cerebellum
In general, what purpose does the thalamus serve?
Major relay for all ascending sensory information except olfaction
Name 5 major thalamic nuclei.
(1) VPL (2) VPM (3) LGN (4) MGN (5) VL
What is the input to the VPL nucleus? What info does it carry? What is the destination?
Spinothalamic and dorsal columns/medial lemniscus; Pain and temperature; Pressure, touch, vibration, and proprioception; Primary somatosensory cortex
What is the input to the VPM nucleus? What info does it carry? What is the destination?
Trigeminal and gustatory pathway; Face sensation and taste; Primary somatosensory cortex; Think: “Makeup goes on the Face (vpM)”
What is the input to the LGN nucleus? What info does it carry? What is the destination?
CN II; Vision; Calcarine sulcus; Think: “Lateral = Light”
What is the input to the MGN nucleus? What info does it carry? What is the destination?
Superior olive and inferior colliculus of tectum; Hearing; Auditory cortex of temporal lobe; Think: “Medial = Muscle”
What is the input to the VL nucleus? What info does it carry? What is the destination?
Basal ganglia, cerebellum; Motor; Motor cortex
In general, what is the limbic system, and in what 5 processes is it involved?
Collection of neural structures involved in emotion, long-term memory, olfaction, behavior modulation, and autonomic nervous system function
What are 5 structures included in the Limbic system?
Structures include (1) hippocampus, (2) amygdala, (3) fornix, (4) mammilary bodies, and (5) cingulate gyrus
What are the 5 functions for which the Limbic system structures are responsible?
Responsible for Feeding, Fleeing, Fighting, Feeling, and Sex; Think: “5 F’s”
What 2 major functions does the cerebellum have?
(1) Modulates movement; (2) Aids in coordination and balance
Detail the 2 kinds of inputs for the Cerebellum.
Inputs: (1) Contralateral cortex via middle cerebellar peduncle (2) Ipsilateral proprioceptive information via inferior cerebellar peduncle from the spinal cord (input nerves = climbing and mossy fibers)
Detail the output from the Cerebellum.
Output: Sends information to contralateral cortex to modulate movement. Output nerves = Purkinje cells –> deep nuclei of cerebellum –> contralateral cortex via the superior cerebellar peduncle.
What do lateral lesions of the Cerebellum cause?
Lateral lesions - Voluntary movement of extremities; when injured, propensity to fall toward injury (ipsilateral) side
What do medial lesions of the Cerebellum cause?
Medial lesions - Lesions involving midline structures (vermal cortex, fastigial nuclei) and/or the flocculonodular lobe result in truncal ataxia, nystagmus, and head tilting. These patients also may have a wide-based (cerebellar) gait and deficits in truncal coordination. Generally, midline lesions result in bilateral motor deficits affecting axial and proximal limb musculature.
