Thalamus Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 parts of the thalamus?

A
  • Epithalamus
  • Subthalamus
  • Hypothalamus
  • Dorsal thalamus
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2
Q

Which part of the thalamus is connected to the pineal gland?

A

Epithalamus

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3
Q

What is the function of the pineal gland?

A
  • Secretes melatonin
  • Develop sex organs
  • Limbic system
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4
Q

What are the 3 portions of the epithalamus?

A
  • Habenular trigone and nuclei
  • Pineal body
  • Striate medularis
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5
Q

What structure does the epithalamus form the roof of?

A

The 3rd ventricle

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6
Q

What is the subthalamus?

A
  • Border between thalamus and midbrain just rostral to substantia nigra
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7
Q

What part of the thalamus is referred to generally when people refer to the thalamus?

A
  • Dorsal thalamus
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8
Q

What systems does the epithalamus link?

A
  • Link between limbic system in forebrain and other parts of the brain
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9
Q

What substances is the habenula nucleus involved in releasing?

A
  • Neuromodulators
  • Dopamine
  • Norepinephrine
  • Serotonin
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10
Q

What is the main function of the subthalamus

A

Regulating movements produced by skeletal muscles

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11
Q

What other important structures related to movement is the subthalamus connected to?

A
  • Basal ganglia

- Substantia nigra

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12
Q

Where is the subthalamus located?

A

Between dorsal thalamus and hypothalamus

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13
Q

What makes up a majority of the subthalamus? What other gray matter and tracts are involved?

A
Subthalamic nucleus
Also:
- Zona incerta
- Subthalamic fasciculus
- Lenticular fasciculus
- Ansa lenticularis
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14
Q

What is the major function of the hypothalamus?

A

Homeostatic control

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15
Q

Through what 2 systems does the hypothalamus maintain homeostasis? What other system is it involved in?

A
  • Autonomic nervous system
  • Endocrine through pituitary
  • Limbic system
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16
Q

How long is the dorsal thalamus from anterior to posterior? How long is the thalamus from ventral to dorsal?

A
  • 3cm AP

- 1.5 cm VD

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17
Q

What are the 2 regions of the dorsal thalamus?

A
  • Allothalamus

- Isothalamus

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18
Q

Which part of the thalamus is older phylogenetically?

A

Allothalamus

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19
Q

Which part of the thalamus is newer phylogenetically?

A

Isothalamus

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20
Q

Which portion of the thalamus makes up its bulk?

A

Isothalamus

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21
Q

What are the 3 structures making up the allothalamus?

A
  • Afferents from amygdala
  • Centre-median parafascicular complex
  • Intralaminar region
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22
Q

What are the 4 functions of the dorsal thalamus?

A
  • Relay and integration of sensory information
  • Focus attention and maintain conciousness
  • Relay and integrates motor information
  • Perception of low grade pain
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23
Q

What is the only sensory information that does not synapse directly on the thalamus before the cortex?

A

Smell

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24
Q

What are the 2 relay motor nuclei?

A
  • Ventral anterior

- Ventral lateral

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25
Q

What are the 3 relay sensory nuclei?

A
  • Ventral posterior
  • Lateral geniculate
  • Medial geniculate
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26
Q

What is the limbic relay nucleus?

A

Anterior

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27
Q

What are the main features of relay nuclei?

A
  • Reciprocal connections with specific areas of cortex

- Relay information from long ascending tracts or from basal ganglia, cerebellium/ other motor nuclei

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28
Q

What effect with an ablation of specific cortical areas have?

A
  • Degeneration of the relay nucleus to that specific area.
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29
Q

What are the 4 thalamocortical radiations, and what lobes to they project to?

A

Central: Frontal and Parietal (mostly parietal)
Optic: Occipital
Auditory: Temporal
Anterior: Frontal

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30
Q

What tracts synapse on the ventral posterior lateral nucleus?

A
  • Nucleus gracilis
  • Nucleus cuneatus
  • Dorsal horn of spinal cord/ spinothalamic tract
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31
Q

What tracts synapse on the ventral posterior medial nucleus?

A
  • Trigeminal sensory nuclei
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32
Q

To what structure in the cortex do the ventral posterior nuclei project to?

A

Primary somatosensory cortex

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33
Q

What structures synapse on the lateral geniculate body of the thalamus?

A
  • Ipsilateral temporal hemiretina
  • Contralateral nasal hemiretina
    In reticular formation:
  • Raphe nuclei
  • Locus coeruleus
  • Other areas in pons & medulla
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34
Q

What structure does the lateral geniculate nucleus project to in the cortex?

A

Primary visual cortex

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35
Q

What structure synapses on the medial geniculate body?

A

Inferior colliculus

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36
Q

Where does the medial geniculate synapse in the higher centers?

A

Primary auditory cortex

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37
Q

What structures synapse on the ventral lateral nucleus?

A
  • Ipsilateral globus palldius & substantia nigra
  • Contralateral dentate nucleus
  • Spinothalamic tract & vestibular nuclei
  • Precentral motor cortical area
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38
Q

What is the target structure if the ventral lateral nucleus of the thalamus?

A
  • Primary motor cortex

- Supplementary motor area

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39
Q

What part of the ventral lateral nucleus does the globus pallidus synapse on?

A

Anterior part

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40
Q

What part of the ventral lateral nucleus does the cerebellar/ vestibular nuclei and the spinal cord synapse on?

A

Posterior part

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41
Q

What part of the ventral lateral nucleus does the substantia nigra nucleus synapse on?

A

Medial part

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42
Q

What structures synapse on the ventral anterior nucleus?

A
  • Ipsilateral globus pallidus
  • Substantia nigra
  • Premotor cortex
  • Frontal eye field
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43
Q

What structure does the ventral anterior nucleus project to?

A
  • Premotor cortex

- Supplementary motor cortex

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44
Q

What structures synapse on the anterior nuclear group of the thalamus?

A
  • Mammillary body of hypothalamus via mammillothalamic tract
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45
Q

What structures in the cortex does the anterior nuclear group project to?

A
  • Anterior limbic area
  • Cingulate gyrus
  • Parahippocampal gyrus
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46
Q

What system is the anterior nuclear group a part of?

A
  • Limbic system
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47
Q

What does the anterior nuclear group help to control?

A
  • Alertness

- Emotion

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48
Q

What does the anterior nuclear group help acquire?

A

Memory

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49
Q

What information do the association nuclei help to process?

A
  • Emotional

- Memory

50
Q

What do association nuclei help to integrate?

A

Different types of sensation

51
Q

Do the association nuclei receive direct inputs from long ascending tracts?

A
  • No
52
Q

What is another name for multimodal nuclei?

A

Association nuclei

53
Q

Where do the association nuclei project to in the cortical areas?

A

Association cortical areas

54
Q

What are the 3 nuclei of the association nuclei?

A
  • Dorsomedial
  • Pulvinar
  • Lateral posterior
55
Q

What are the 2 portions of the dorsomedial nuclei?

A
  • Parvo cellular

- Magno cellular

56
Q

What are the functions of the parvo cellular nucleus?

A
  • Affective behavior

- Memory and integration of somatic visceral activities

57
Q

What symptoms will result from a lesion to the parvo cellular nuclei?

A
  • Flat emotional state transient memory loss

- Anterograde amnesia

58
Q

What is the function of the magno cellular nuclei?

A

Relay nuclei for smell

59
Q

What is the function of the pulvinar nuclei?

A

Vision

60
Q

What is the function of the lateral posterior nuclei?

A
  • Form complex links between subcortical visual areas with association cortical visual areas
61
Q

What structures synapse on the lateral dorsal nucleus?

A
  • Happocampal formation
  • Pretectal area
  • Superior colliculus
62
Q

What structures does the lateral dorsal nucleus synapse on?

A
  • Cingulate gyrus

- Visual association cortex

63
Q

What structures synapse on the lateral posterior nucleus?

A

Superior colliculus

64
Q

What structures does the lateral posterior nucleus synapse on?

A
  • Parietal lobe
  • Temporal lobe
  • Occipital association cortex
65
Q

What structures synapse on the pulvinar nucleus?

A
  • Pretectal area
  • Superior colliculus
  • Retinas
66
Q

What areas does the pulvinar nucleus synapse on?

A
  • Association area of paretotemporal cortex

- Visual areas in occipital and posterior temporal lobe

67
Q

What structures synapse on the medial nuclear group?

A
  • Hypothalamus
  • Amygdala
  • Other thalamic nuclei
  • Prefrontal cortex
68
Q

What structures does the medial nuclear group synapse on?

A
  • Prefrontal cortex
  • Post parietal cortex
  • Limbic structures
69
Q

What is the function of the lateral dorsal nucleus?

A
  • Memory

- Interpretation of visual stimuli

70
Q

What is the function of the lateral posterior nucleus?

A

Interpretation of visual and other stimuli

71
Q

What is the function of the pulvinar nucleus?

A
  • Visual
  • Perception
  • Cognition
  • Memory
72
Q

What is the function of the medial nuclear group?

A

Integration of:

  • Emotion
  • Thought
  • Judgement
73
Q

What are the 3 non-specific nuclei?

A
  • Reticular
  • Intralaminar
  • Midline (nucleus Reuniens)
74
Q

How are the cortical projections of the non-specific nuclei connected to the cortex?

A
  • Diffuse, widespread indirect
75
Q

From where do the non-specific nuclei receive input?

A
  • Reticular formation

- Other areas of neural axis

76
Q

What do non-specific nuclei help to regulate?

A
  • Conciousness
  • Arousal
  • Attention
77
Q

What is the function of the intralaminar nuclei?

A
  • Cortical activation

- Sensorimotor integration

78
Q

What structures synapse on the intralaminar nuclei?

A
  • Brainstem RF
  • STT
  • Cerebellar nu
  • Pallidum
79
Q

What structures do the intralaminar nuclei synapse on?

A
  • Frontal lobes

- Parietal lobes

80
Q

What is the function of the midline nuclei?

A
  • Part of limbic system
  • Memory
  • Arousal
81
Q

What structures synapse on the midline nuclei?

A
  • Brainstem RF
  • Hypothalamus
  • STTT
  • Midbrain
82
Q

What structures do the midline nuclei synapse on?

A
  • Hippocampal formation
  • Amygdala
  • Nucleus accumbens
  • Cingulate gyrus
83
Q

What is the function of the reticular nucleus?

A
  • Inhibitory modulation of thalamocortical transmission
84
Q

What structures synapse on the reticular nucleus?

A
  • Collateral of thalamocortical
  • Corticothalamic
  • thalamostriatal
  • Pallidothalamic fibers
85
Q

What strucutre does the reticular nucleus synapse on?

A

The body of the thalamus

86
Q

What is the major artery of the thalamus?

A

Thamogeniculate artery

87
Q

What artery does the tuberothalamic artery branch off of?

A
  • The posterior communicating
88
Q

What artery does the posterior choroidal artery branch off of?

A
  • Posterior cerebellar
89
Q

What artery does the thalamogeniculate artery branch off of?

A

Basilar

90
Q

What artery does the thalamoperforating artery branch off of?

A

Basilar

91
Q

What artery supplies the posterior thalamus?

A

Thalamoperforating artery

92
Q

What artery supplies anterior area of the thalamus and the geniculate bodies?

A

Thalamogeniculate

93
Q

What artery supplies the medioanterior portion of the lower half of the thalamus?

A

Posterior choroidal artery

94
Q

What artery supplies the anterior area of the thalamus?

A

Tuberothalamic artery

95
Q

What % of thalamic infarcts are of the anterior area?

A

12 %

96
Q

In what % of people is the tuberothalamic artery missing?

A

33 %

97
Q

How is personality altered by a tuberothalamic artery?

A
  • Withdrawn
  • Disorientation in time and place
  • Euphoria
  • Lack of insight
  • Apathy
98
Q

What non-personality effects result from a tuberothalamic region?

A

Impairments of:

  • Recent memory
  • New learnings
  • Disoriented
99
Q

What % of infarcts occur in the paramedian area?

A

35 %

100
Q

What nucleus is typically affected by a lesion to the paramedian area of the dorsal thalamus?

A

Dorsomedian nucleus

101
Q

What impairments result from a lesion to the paramedian area?

A
  • Neuropsychological distrubances in arousal and memory
  • Confusion
  • Agitation
  • Aggression
  • Apathy
  • Speech problems (soft speech)
  • Dysprosody (difficulty speaking)
102
Q

What arteries are severed in an inferolateral dorsal thalamus lesion?

A

Thalamogeniculate arteries

103
Q

What % of thalamic infarcts are in the inferolateral area?

A

45 %

104
Q

What symptoms may result from an inferolateral area?

A
  • Ataxia
  • Contralateral somatosensory sensation impairment
  • Intractable/ affective pain
105
Q

What % of thalamic infarcts are in the posterior area?

A

8 %

106
Q

What symptoms result from a lesion to the posterior dorsal thalamus?

A
  • Hypoesthesia (decreased sensitivity to light/ other sensations)
  • Spatial neglect
  • Homonymous horizontal sectoranopsia (loss of vision in a portion of the visual field)
107
Q

What is thalamic sydrome?

A

Blockage in thalamogeniculate artery

108
Q

What typically precedes thalamic syndrome?

A

Numbness in the affected side

109
Q

What is the numbness of thalamic syndrome replaced by?

A

Varying burning and tingling sensations

110
Q

What can accompany the burning and tingling of thalamic syndrome?

A

Hypersensitivity; dysaesthesias or allodynia

111
Q

What are less common symptoms of thalamic syndrome?

A

Severe ongoing pain with little or no stimuli/ motor problems

112
Q

What fibers make up the anterior limb?

A
  • Anterior thalamic radiation

- Frontopontine and other corticofugal fibers

113
Q

What fibers make up the posterior limb?

A
  • Corticopontine and other corticofugal(corticothalamic) fibers
  • Superior thalamic radiation (includes somatosensory radiation)
  • Corticospinal tract
114
Q

What radiation projects from the medial geniculate nucleus?

A

Auditory radiation (inferior thalamic peduncle)

115
Q

What radiation projects from the lateral geniculate nucleus?

A

Optic radiation (posterior thalamic peduncle)

116
Q

What 3 motor tracts make up the internal capsule?

A
  • Corticospinals
  • Corticobulbars
  • Corticopontocerebellar
117
Q

From what lobe does the internal capsule originate?

A

The frontal lobe

118
Q

What 2 nuclei do the fibers forming the anterior limb of the internal capsule pass between?

A
  • Caudate nucleus

- Lentiform nucleus

119
Q

What structures do the fibers making up the posterior limb of the internal capsule pass between?

A
  • Thalamus

- Lentiform nucleus

120
Q

What limb does the medial geniculate pass through?

A

The posterior limb

121
Q

What is the intersection of the anterior and posterior limb of the internal capsule near the interventicular foramen termed?

A

Genu of the internal capsule