T2 L11: The cerebellum and motor learning

Question 1

What is meant by the cerebellum being a great comparer?

Answer 1

It compares movement intended with movement that is actually happening

Question 2

What is the vermis of the cerebellum?

Answer 2

The midline of the cerebellum that separates the 2 hemispheres

Question 3

What are the 3 subdivisions of inputs to the cerebellum?

Answer 3

Vestibulocerebellum (to the cerebellar nodules)
Spinocerebellum (to the vermis)
Cerebrocerebellum (to the cerebellar hemispheres)

Question 4

What is the Flocculus of the cerebellum?

Answer 4

A lobe posterior of the cerebellum

Question 5

What is the fastigial cerebellar nucleus for?

Answer 5

For motor execution

Question 6

What is the interposed cerebellar nucleus for?

Answer 6

For motor execution

Question 7

What is the dentate cerebellar nucleus for?

Answer 7

For motor planning

Question 8

What is the vestibular cerebellar nucleus for?

Answer 8

Balance and eye movements

Question 9

What is dysmetria?

Answer 9

Movement is not stopped in time (overshoot)

Question 10

What is Dysnergia?

Answer 10

Breaking down of complex movements because there is a disturbance in motor coordination

Question 11

What is Dysdiadochokinesia?

Answer 11

Reduced ability to perform rapidly alternating movements

Question 12

What is an intentional tremor?

Answer 12

A tremor that arises when someone is trying to perform a goal-directed movement

Question 13

What is Dysarthria?

Answer 13

When the muscles you use for speech are weak or you have difficulty controlling them. It causes slurred or slow speech

Question 14

What is the vestibulo-ocular pathway for?

Answer 14

Producing eye movements that counter head movements

Question 15

What is the effect of a lesion on the vestibulocerebellar pathway?

Answer 15

Nystagmus- A rhythmic side-to-side movement of the eyes caused by a lesion on the vestibulocerebellar pathway

It causes an inability to focus

Question 16

What is the effect of a lesion on the spinocerebellar pathway?

Answer 16

Gait ataxia (unsteadiness of walking), hypertonia (disturbance to limb tone and posture)

Question 17

What are the 4 layers of cerebellar cortex?

Answer 17

White matter
Granule cell layer
Purkinje cell layer
Molecular layer

Question 18

What causes motor learning long-term depression?

Answer 18

The connection between climbing and Purkinje fibres is weakened

Question 19

What is Frederick’s ataxia?

Answer 19

A degenerative disease damages the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and the cerebellum portion of the brain

Question 20

What are some genetic causes of cerebellar dusfunction?

Answer 20

Frederich’s ataxia
Spinocerebellar degeneration
Ataxia-telengiectasia
Von-Hippel Lindau

Question 21

What is Spinocerebellar degeneration?

Answer 21

A group of ataxias that causes degeneration of the cerebellum

Question 22

What is ataxia-telengiectasia?

Answer 22

A hereditary condition characterized by progressive neurologic problems that lead to difficulty walking and an increased risk of developing various types of cancer.

Question 23

What is Von-Hippel Lindau?

Answer 23

A condition that causes tumours and cysts to grow around the body

Question 24

What causes acquired symmetrical ataxia?

Answer 24

Alcohol
Metabolic (B12, Thyroid, Coeliac)
Drugs
Degenerative
Immune (Paraneoplastic)

Question 25

What does paraneoplastic mean?

Answer 25

A syndrome caused by the molecular signals from tumours

Question 26

What are the 3 cerebellar arteries?

Answer 26

Superior, anterior, and posterior arteries that branch off from the basilar artery