Week 3 Flashcards
Excitatory Neurotransmitters
Glutamate, histamine
Glutamate
Most common excitatory neurotransmitter, active throughout the CNS
Histamine
Neuromodulatory function
Inhibitory Neurotransmitters
GABA and glycine
GABA
Most common inhibitory neurotransmitter, found in and acts throughout the CNS
Glycine
Found in the spinal cord and acts on the spinal cord and brainstem
Location of Dopamine Neuromodulation
Substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area
Location of Serotonin Neuromodulation
Raphe nuclei
Location of Histamine Neuromodulation
Hypothalamus and reticular formation
Location of Norepinephrine Neuromodulation
Sympathetic ganglia and locus ceruleus
Location of Neuropeptide Neuromodulation
Entire CNS
Location of Acetylcholine Neuromodulation
Small areas of the CNS
Acetylcholine Areas of Neurotransmission
Neuromuscular junctions, preganglionic autonomic synapses, postganglionic parasympathetic synapses
Upper Motor Neurons
Carry motor output from the cerebral cortex and brainstem to lower motor neurons in the brainstem or spinal cord
Lower motor neuron
Cell bodies in the brainstem or spinal cord that innervate muscles in the periphery, either Alpha Motor Neurons, Gamma Motor Neurons, or Beta Motor Neurons
Alpha Motor Neuron
Large cell bodies with axons that innervate skeletal muscle
Gamma Motor Neuron
Calls with a small axon diameter that innervate muscle spindles to help control stretch reflex
Lower Motor Neuron Lesion
Muscle weakness, atrophy, fasciculations, decreased tone, hyporeflexia
Upper Motor Neuron Lesion
Increased tone, hyperreflexia, muscle weakness, abnormal reflexes, may present like a lower motor neuron lesion at first
Lateral Motor Pathway Controls…
Appendicular Muscles
Medial Motor Pathway Controls…
Axial, girdle, and posture muscles
Lateral Cortical Motor Pathways
Lateral corticospinal and corticobulbar
Medial Cortical Motor Pathways
Ventral Corticospinal
Lateral Brainstem Motor Pathways
Rubrospinal
Medial Brainstem Motor Pathways
Vestibulospinal, tectospinal, reticulospinal
Lateral Corticospinal Tract Functions
Rapid muscle movements, especially at the joints of the limbs
Lateral Corticospinal Tract Steps
- Primary motor cortex of Precentral Gyrus in cortical layer 5. 2. Corona radiata through internal capsule. 3. Cerebral peduncles of midbrain, then middle third of crus cerebri, then ventral pons. 4. Pyramids in ventral medulla. 5. Pyramidal decussation in caudal medulla. 6. Lateral funiculus of spinal cord to synapse on LMNs of ventral horn
Corticobulbar Tract Functions
Movement of face, tongue, jaw, laryngeal, and pharyngeal muscles, NOT extraocular muscles
Corticobulbar Tract Path
- Precentral gyrus through genu of internal capsule. 2. Through brainstem to many nuclei
Corticobulbar Tract Destinations Through and In Brainstem
Facial Motor Nucleus, Trigeminal Motor Nucleus, Nucleus Ambiguus, and Hypoglossal Nucleus
Corticobulbar Projections to Trigeminal Motor Nucleus
Midpons with bilateral projections
Corticobulbar Projections to Nucleus Ambiguus
Bilateral projections, rostral medulla, laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles
Corticobulbar Projections to Facial Motor Nucleus
Bilateral projections to the portion of the nucleus that controls the upper face, contralateral to the lower face
Corticobulbar Projections to Hypoglossal Nucleus
Rostral dorsal medulla, most often bilateral projections
Corticobulbar Projections to Spinal Accessory Nucleus
Caudal Medulla, Bilateral asymmetric projections
Somatotopic Organization of Motor Pathways From Top to Bottom of Cortex
Knee, trunk, shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, fingers, thumb, neck, brow, eye, face, lips, jaw, tongue, pharynx
Somatotopic Organization of Motor Pathways Anterior to Posterior of Internal Capsule
Face, arm, trunk, leg
Somatotopic Organization of Motor Tracts Dorsal to Ventral on Midbrain
Leg, trunk, arm, face
Somatotopic Organization of Motor Tracts Dorsal to Ventral Spinal Cord
Leg, trunk, arm, CONTRALATERAL trunk again
Rubrospinal Tract Steps
- Red nucleus. 2. Decussation in midbrain and descent through dorsolateral pons and medulla. 3. Lateral funiculus of spinal cord and synapse in the ventral horn of cervical cord
Ventral Corticospinal Tract Function
Control of biaxial and girdle muscles
Ventral Corticospinal Tract Steps
- Lateral corticospinal tract to pyramidal decussation. 2. Descent through ventral funiculus of cord. 3. Some axons cross before synapsing on the lower motor neurons and interneurons of ventral horn and intermediate zone respectively
Vestibulospinal Tract Initial Steps
- Medial and lateral vestibular nuclei of rostral medulla and pons, respectively. 2. Descent as vestibulospinal tracts
Membrane Potential Formula
Charge inside the cell-charge outside the cell
Standard Resting Membrane Potential
-65mV
Equilibrium Potential of Na+
+60mV
Equilibrium Potential of K+
-85mV
Equilibrium Potential of Cl-
-65mV
Excitatory Neurotransmitters Stimulate Release of What Ion
Na+
Inhibitory Neurotransmitters Stimulate Release of What Ion
Cl-
Lateral Vestibulospinal Tract Steps
- Descent through ipsilateral ventral funiculus. 2. Synapse to ventral horn LMNs and interneurons at all spinal levels
Medial Vestibulospinal Tract Steps
- Descent bilaterally to superior levels of cervical spinal cord. 2. Controls head positions related to eye positions
Tectospinal Tract Steps
- Deep Layers of superior colliculus. 2. Inferior to cerebral spinal segments. 3. Controls eye and head movements
Reticulospinal Tract Steps
- Pontine reticular formations. 2. Descent through ventral funiculus ipsilaterally but exerts bilateral control of automatic movements like walking on uneven terrain
Spinal Cord Interneuron Types
Segmental, Commissural, Propriospinal
Segmental Spinal Cord Interneurons
Short axons that distribute branches ipsilaterally within a single spinal segment that synapse on motor neurons and other interneurons, receives convergent input from somatic sensory receptors for reflex control of movement
Commissural Spinal Cord Interneurons
Distribute bilaterally for movement coordination to both sides of the body; enable actions such as walking and postural stability
Propriospinal Spinal Cord Interneurons
Project for multiple spinal segments before synapsing on motor neurons, important for upper limb coordination
Frontal Lobe Motor Areas
Supplementary Motor, Dorsal Premotor Cortex, Ventral Premotor Cortex, Cingulate Motor Area
Supplementary Motor Area Location
Medial surface of cerebral hemisphere
Supplementary Motor Area Function
Possibly involved in planning bimanual movements
Premotor Cortex Location
Lateral Hemisphere and ventral to primary motor cortex
Dorsal Premotor Cortex Function
Helps control reaching
Ventral Premotor Cortex Function
Helps control grasping, contains mirror neurons
Cingulate Motor Area Location
Medial surface deep in cingulate sulcus
Cingulate Motor Area Function
Emotional regulation as part of the limbic system