Lab competency 2 definitions

Caudate nucleus

a basal ganglia structure involved in the planning and execution of automatic movements. The neurons in this structure act to inhibit certain “purposeless” movements

Hippocampus

Is essential for converting short term memories into long term memories; plays a critical role in associating memories with emotional expierences; assists us in making complex decisions by weighing potential outcomes, & creates and maintains mental maps of our enviornments

Fornix

Pair of arch-shaped fibers that begin in the uncus and wrap around to the mammillary bodies. It functions as a relay system for messages generated by the limbic system

Putamen + globus pallidus

basal ganglia structures involved in stereotypic or automatic movements patterns. The neurons in these structures produce excitatory neural messages (AKA lenticular nucleus)

Cingulate gyrus

a curved fold in the brain that wraps around the corpus callosum. It helps regulate emotions and is involved in processing the emotional aspects of pain

Thalamus

constellation of paired nuclei that sit atop the brainstem and relay all sensation except olfaction to the cerebral center and other areas in the CNS. It is also a critical structure in the motor feedback loop

Anterior lobe (cerebellum)

Coordinated and fine-tunes body and limb movements in real-time through comparison; helps maintain posture and regulate tone (AKA paleocerebellum, spine cerebellum)

Flocculonodular lobe (cerebellum)

Works with the vestibular nuclei to integrate vestibular information; controls balance and equilibrium reactions; coordinated head and eye movements; contributes to motor coordination between the two sides of the body, such as in jumping jacks (AKA vestibulocerebellum)

Posterior lobe (cerebellum)

Crucial for planning complex movements and supports procedural learning. Receives input from M1 and works with the thalamus as part of a motor feedback loop to facilitate smooth execution of planned movements (AKA neocerebellum, cerebrocerebellum)

Cerebellar peduncles

three pairs of fiber bundles that connect the cerebellum to the brain stem to transmit incoming sensory information and outgoing motor commands. They include the superior cerebellar peduncle (connects to the midbrain), the middle cerebellar peduncle (connects to the pons), and the inferior cerebellar peduncle (connects to the medulla)

Substantia nigra

a basal ganglia structure that contains a dark pigment called neuromelanin (NM). NM is produced in the cytoplasm of the dopaine neurons in basal ganglia and protects neurons from oxidative stress

Basal ganglia

subcortical brain structures involved in motor control, learning, memory, and reward based-behaviors. They are part of the motor feedback loop with the cerebellum, thalamus, and primary motor cortex