Thalamus

Question 1

The thalamus is the largest component of _

Answer 1

Diencephalon

Question 2

The thalamus is a key interface between the cortex and brain stem. All sensory information synapses at the thalamus except_ (3)

Answer 2

Olfactory information
Emotional aspects of pain
Visceral sensation

Question 3

The major function of the thalamus is to

Answer 3

Determine the level and content of conciousness

Question 4

Motor and sensory deficits, aphasia, memory problems. altered personality and social skills, altered arousal are all symptoms of

Answer 4

Thalamic lesions (They barely affect a single nuclei, widespread effects)

Question 5

While the two halves of the thalamus are separated by _, a bridge of tissue called _ joins the two halves

Answer 5

3rd ventricle

Massa intermedia / interthalamic adhesion

Question 6

The dorsal and anterior border of the thalamus are _ and _

Answer 6

Floor of lateral ventricles

Foramen of monroe

Question 7

The Ventral border of the thalamus is the _ which separates the thalamus from _

Answer 7

hypothalamic sulcus

hypothalamus

Question 8

The lateral border of the thalamus is _. This separate the thalamus from the posterior limb of _

Answer 8

External medullary lamina

Internal capsule

Question 9

The mid-brain diancephalic boundary is an imaginary line between what 2 structures

Answer 9

Mamillary bodies

Posterior commisure

Question 10

The two components of the metathalamus are _

Answer 10

Medial geniculate body

Lateral geniculate body

Question 11

Among the anterior and posterior groups of the thalamic nuclei, the motor nuclei are more _ and the sensory nuclei are more _ (anterior/posterior)

Answer 11

Motor -Anterior

Sensory - Posterior

Question 12

The internal medullary lamina separates the _ from the _

Answer 12

mediodorsal nucleus

lateral dorsal nucleus

Question 13

3 examples of midline nuclei are the

Answer 13

Paraventricular n
Rhomboid n
Reuniens n

Question 14

The 2 major characteristics of specific thalamic nuclei are

Answer 14

Reciprocal connections with cerebral cortex

Maintenance of input spatial organization

Question 15

The 4 sensory specific nuclei are

Answer 15

Medial geniculate n
Lateral geniculate n
Ventral posterior medial
Ventral posterior lateral

Question 16

The 2 motor specific nuclei are

Answer 16

Ventral anterior

Ventral lateral

Question 17

The 2 association specific nuclei are

Answer 17

Mediodorsal nuclei

Pulvinar

Question 18

The 2 limbic specific nuclei are

Answer 18

Anterior group

Lateral dorsal nucleus

Question 19

The 2 non-specific thalamic nuclei are

Answer 19

Intralaminar n

Midline n

Question 20

The 3 major characteristic of non-specific nuclei are

Answer 20

Diffuse and multimodal sensory input
Diffuse non reciprocal connections with cortex
Strong input from reticular formation

Question 21

The basal ganglia reciprocally innervates both the intralaminar and midline nuclei. Of these 2, which receives the more extensive input?

Answer 21

Intralaminar

Question 22

This sensory specific nucleus receives somatosensory input from the face. It is also reciprocally connected with the face area of the post-central gyrus

Answer 22

VPM

Question 23

This specific nucleus receives inputs from mesencephalic taste relays (from NTS) and is reciprocally connected with the insula (gustatory area)

Answer 23

VPMpc (parvocellular)

Question 24

This specific nucleus receives somatosensory information from the limb and trunk (spinothalamic and DCML). It is reciprocally connected with the non-face areas of the post central gyrus

Answer 24

VPL

Question 25

This specific nucleus relays visceral information to the insula

Answer 25

Medial VPL

Question 26

Vestibular information is transmitted to the inferior parietal lobule by this nucleus

Answer 26

VPI

Question 27

This nucleus receives visual inputs from the optic nerve and tract. Specifically _ temporal retina and _ nasal retina (contraleral / ipsilateral)

Answer 27

Lateral geniculate nucleus Ipsilateral temporal Contralateral nasal

Question 28

What layers do the nasal retina information land on? | What layers do the temporal retina information land on?

Answer 28

1,4,6 | 2,3,5

Question 29

The LGN is reciprocally connected with _

Answer 29

Primary visual areas on the banks of the calcarine fissure

Question 30

This specific sensory nucleus receives auditory input from the inferior colliculus. It is reciprocally connected with _ in the _ lobe

Answer 30

Medial geniculate Heschl's gyrus Temporal lobe

Question 31

The VA (motor specific nucleus) receives inhibitory input from _

Answer 31

Ipsilateral basal ganglia

Question 32

Medial VA receives input from the _. It is reciprocally connected with _ (4)

Answer 32

``` Substancia nigra Premotor Cortex Frontal Eye fields Cingulate Cortex Parietal Cortex ```

Question 33

The major function of the medial VA is _

Answer 33

eye, head and neck movements

Question 34

The lateral VA receives inputs from _. It is connected with _

Answer 34

Globus pallidus | Limb and trunk regions of premotor cortex

Question 35

The VL (specific motor nucleus) receives inputs from the _ via the deep nuclei. A name for this pathway is _

Answer 35

Crossed cerebellar output | Dentato-rubro-thalamic pathway

Question 36

The VL is reciprocally connected with _

Answer 36

Primary motor cortex in precentral gyrus

Question 37

Basal ganglia disease is expressed _, Cerebella disease is expressed _ (ipsiateral, contralateral)

Answer 37

Contralateral | Ispilateral (because corticospinal fibers cross)

Question 38

The mediodorsal nucleus (association specific) is reciprocally connected with which 2 cortices?

Answer 38

Frontal | Orbital

Question 39

Lesions affecting the mediodorsal nucleus (association specific) result in ?

Answer 39

Apathy Memory changes Difficulry switching tasks

Question 40

The pulvinar (association specific nucleus) is reciprocally connected with _

Answer 40

Second order sensory and multimodal association corticies in - Parietal - Temporal - Occipital lobes Also cingulate and frontal cortices

Question 41

Pulvinar lesions affect (3)

Answer 41

language processing Visual perception Pain perception

Question 42

The major function of the association domains is to _

Answer 42

Integrate sensory information from various sensory domains

Question 43

The anterior group (limbic specific) receives inputs from the _ through the fornix and mamillary bodies. This pathway is called _

Answer 43

Parahippocamal region | Mammillothalamic tract

Question 44

The anterior group is reciprocally connected with _

Answer 44

Cingulate gyrus

Question 45

The laterodorsal group receives inputd from the _. It is reciprocally connected with the _

Answer 45

Parahippocampal region | retrosplenial cortex

Question 46

As a group, the anterior group, lateral group, mammilary bodies, fornix, MTT and cingulate and retrosplenial cortices function as a _. Their function is disrupted in what disease?

Answer 46

Neural system for spatial and context dependent memory | - Alcoholism, Korsakoff's syndrome

Question 47

The midline group project diffusely to the _ and _ via specific nuclei

Answer 47

Cortex | Striatum

Question 48

Pain related information to the midline nuclei arrive from _

Answer 48

PAG

Question 49

The midline nonspecifi nuclei receive the stringest inputs from what 2 systems?

Answer 49

LC - noradrenalin | Midbrain raphe - 5HT

Question 50

The major funtion of the midine nonspecific nuclei is

Answer 50

General cortical arousal

Question 51

The nonspecific ontralaminar nucleius is reciprocally connected with _

Answer 51

striatal portions of basal ganglia

Question 52

The nonspecific ontralaminar nucleus receives strong cholinergic inputs from _

Answer 52

ARAS

Question 53

Lesion of the centromedial nucleus of the nonspecific intralaminar nuclei result in _

Answer 53

Unilateral motor neglect

Question 54

Concious awareness requires synchronous activity between _ and _

Answer 54

Cortical region | Related thalamic nucleus

Question 55

Thalamic nuclei contain 2 types of neurons, _ and _

Answer 55

Thalamocortical | Inhibitory interneuron

Question 56

Local synchronous activity is acheived by _

Answer 56

Thalamocortical neurons to localized area of cortex and returning corticothalamic neuron

Question 57

Global synchrony is achieved by _

Answer 57

Corticothalamic neuron returning to thalamus to activate widespread thalamocortical neuron

Question 58

The reticular nucleus (TRN) functions to _ (2)

Answer 58

allow greater awareness of particular stimuli | Change the level of conciousness between sleep and waking

Question 59

The TRN consists entirely of _ types of neurons. All neurons between _ and _ cross it

Answer 59

GABAergic Cortex Thalamus

Question 60

In _ mode, information from the thalamus cannot reach cortex. A switch to _ mode changes this. This is mediated by the _

Answer 60

Burst mode Tonic mode TRN

Question 61

The TRN receives cholinergic innervation from the _

Answer 61

ARAS

Question 62

During sleep, most thalamocortical neurons are in _ mode. During wakefulness, select neurons are now in _ mode.

Answer 62

Burst | Tonic

Question 63

Contralateral Sensory loss secondary to thalamic lesion. What nuclei are responsibly for the following findings? hemianesthesia hemihypoacusis hemianopsia / quadrantopsia

Answer 63

hemianesthesia - VPL/VPM hemihypoacusis - MGN hemianopsia / quadrantopsia - LGN

Question 64

Loss of movement involving the thalamus (hemiparesis) would likely involve which nuclei? (2)

Answer 64

VA | VL

Question 65

Memory impairment involving the thalamus would likely involve which nuclei?

Answer 65

``` Anterior group (mediodorsal) Pulvinar ```

Question 66

Altered pain perception involving the thalamus can include _ (3). A syndrome name for this is?

Answer 66

Hemianesthesia Dysethesia (unplesant sensation to light tough) Hyperpathia (Painful reaction to minor stim) Dejerine-Roussy syndrome