Physiology Review Flashcards
What are cells in the motor cortex organized into?
vertical columns
What does each vertical column of cell in the motor cortex stimulate?
A group of synergistic muscles or even a single muscle.
What is each vertical column of cells in the motor cortex divided into?
6 distinct layers
In the motor cortex, which layer is pyramidal cells in?
5th layer
What layers does input signals enter in the motor cortex?
layers 2-4
What do neurons arising in the 6th layer of the motor cortex communicate with?
With other regions of the cerebral cortex.
What are the groups of neurons in the spinal cord?
> sensory (afferent)
anterior motor neurons (efferents)
interneurons
What type of fibers do alpha motor neurons give rise to?
A alpha fibers
What are interneurons responsible for most of in the spinal cord?
spinal cord integrative function
What are the characteristics of interneurons?
> 30X as numerous as anterior motor neurons
small and highly excitable
capable of spontaneous activity
responsible for most of spinal cord integrative function
Where are Renshaw cells located?
anterior horns of spinal cord
What are Renshaw cells?
inhibitory interneurons in the anterior horns of the spinal cord
What do Renshaw cells do?
Transmit inhibitory signals to surrounding motor neurons.
- results in lateral inhibition
- enhance fluidity of limb movement
Transmit inhibitory signals to same motor neuron.
- results in recurrent inhibition
Where do Renshaw cells receive collateral branches from?
alpha motor neurons
What type of cell innervates muscle spindles?
small gamma motor neurons (group II afferents)
What are the two types of intrafusal fibers that make up muscle spindles?
> Nuclear bag fibers
> Nuclear chain fibers
What do nuclear bag fibers detect in the muscle spindle?
Rate of change (dynamic change) in muscle length.
What do nuclear chain fibers detect in the muscle spindle?
Static change in muscle length.
What are nuclear bag fibers innervated by?
group Ia afferents and dynamic gamma efferents
What are nuclear chain fibers innervated by?
group II afferent and static gamma efferents
Which are more numerous, nuclear chains fibers or nuclear bag fibers?
nuclear chain fibers more numerous
How are nuclei arranged in nuclear bag fibers?
multiple nuclei located in a central “bag-like” configuration
How are nuclei arranged in nuclear chain fibers?
multiple nuclei arranged in a single row
In muscle spindles, what transmits dynamic stretch reflex signals?
signals transmitted from primary nerve endings
What action of the muscle elicits a dynamic stretch reflex?
elicited by rapid stretch or unstretch
What is the purpose of the dynamic stretch reflex?
opposes sudden changes to muscle length
What is the purpose of the static reflex?
causes degree of muscle contraction to remain relatively constant
In muscle spindles, what transmits static reflex signals?
signals transmitted by both primary and secondary endings
You know muscle spindles have both a dynamic stretch reflex and a static reflex, but what is the main function of these two components combined?
prevents jerkiness of body movements (damping)
What does muscle stretch lead to?
direct increase in firing rate of type Ia afferent fibers
> group Ia afferents synapse directly on alpha-motor neurons of the same muscle
muscle contracts and decreases tension on muscle spindle
synergistic muscles are activated and antagonistic muscles are inhibited
On which neurons do group Ia afferents synapse directly?
alpha-motor neurons on the same muscle
Talk through muscle spindle function.
Slide 7 in Review
What are the three major motor control areas of the brain?
- motor cortex
- cerebellum
- basal ganglia
What is the function of the premotor and supplementary motor cortices?
Generate a plan for movement.
transfer plan to primary motor cortex
True or False:
Signals generated from the premotor and supplementary motor cortices in generating a plan for movement involves more complex patterns of movement than the more discrete pattern generated by the primary motor cortex.
True
Which part of the premotor cortex develops a “motor image” of the total muscle movement that is to be performed?
anterior part of premotor cortex
Which cortex programs complex motor sequences and is responsible for mental rehearsal for a movement?
supplementary motor cortex
Where is the image located in the motor cortex that excites each successive pattern of muscle activity required to achieve the image?
posterior motor cortex
Which two pathways does the posterior motor cortex send signals to?
1) –> primary motor cortex
2) –> basal nuclei and thalamus –> primary motor cortex –> cortico-spinal pathways down spine
In the pyramidal system, where do upper motor neurons originate?
motor cortices
What percentage of upper motor neurons decussate in pyramids and form the lateral corticospnial tract?
75-85%
Where do the remaining 15-25% of upper motor neurons that don’t deccussate in pyramids to form the lateral corticospinal tracts decussate near?
Near synapse with lower motor neurons and form anterior corticospinal tracts.
What do most upper motor neurons synapse with?
Association neurons in spinal cord central gray.
What are upper motor neurons classified according to?
Where they synapse in the ventral horn.
> medial activation system
lateral activation system
nonspecific activating system
What does the medial activation system innervate?
postural and girdle muscles
What does the lateral activation system innervate?
associated with distally located muscles used for fine movements
What does the nonspecific activating system innervate?
facilitate local reflex arcs
Which two tracts make up the pyramidal system?
> corticospinal tract
> corticobulbar tract
Name the two pyramidal and 3 extrapyramidal tracts that we covered?
> Pyramidal System:
- corticospinal tract
- corticobulbar tract
> Extrapyramidal Tracts:
- rubrospinal tract
- vestibulospinal tract
- reticulospinal tract
Where does the rubrospinal tract originate?
Red Nucleus
Where does the rubrospinal tract decussate at?
in midbrain
Where in the spine does the rubrospinal tract descend?
lateral funiculus (column)
What is the function of the rubrospinal tract?
closely related to cerebellar function
What do patients with a lesion in their rubrospinal tract present with?
> Impairment of distal arm and hand movement.
> Intention tremors (similar to cerebellar lesions).
Where does the vestibulospinal tract originate?
vestibular nuclei
receives major input from vestibular nerve (CN VIII)
Where in the spinal cord does the vestibulospinal tract descend?
anterior funiculus (column)
What does the vestibulospinal tract synapse with?
lower motor neurons to extensor muscles
What is the vestibulospinal tract primarily involved in?
Maintenance of upright posture.
Where does the reticulospinal tract originate?
various regions of reticular formation
In which part of the spinal cord does the reticulospinal tract descend?
anterior portion of lateral funiculus (column)
What is the function of the reticulospinal tract?
Thought to mediate larger movements of trunk and limbs that do not require balance or fine movements of upper limbs.
fills in the gaps
What are the 3 components of the vestibular apparatus?
> utricle
saccule
semicircular canals
In which plane is the macula of the utricle located in?
horizontal plane
In which plane is the macula of the saccule located in?
vertical plane
What does the macula in the utricle do?
plays role in determining orientation of head when head is upright
What does the macula in the saccule do?
signals head orientation when person is lying down
What kind of layer is each macula, both in the utricle and saccule, covered by?
gelatinous layer
What does the macula, both in the utricle and saccule, contain within?
> Contains large number of embedded small calcium carbonate crystals (statoconia).
> Contains thousands of hair cells which project cilia into the gelatinous layer.
What does the weight of the statoconia (small calcium carbonate crystals) do?
Bends cilia in the direction of gravitational pull.
What are the characteristics of hair cells in the vestibular apparatus?
> Has 50-70 small cilia (stereocilia).
> Has 1 large cilium (kinocilium) off set to one side.
> Tips of stereocilia are connected together and to kinocilium.
> Bending of stereocilia toward kinocilium opens hundreds of cation channels (mostly potassium) causing receptor membrane depolarization and excitation.
> Bending of cilia in opposite direction closes channels and hyperpolarizes receptor membrane.
> Hair cells are oriented such that bending the head in different directions causes different groups of hair cells to depolarize.