Basal nuclei/ganglia, the limbic system and the cerebellum

5 components of the basal nuclei

Caudate nucleus - cerebrum

Putamen - cerebrum

Globus pallidus - cerebrum

Subthalamic nucleus - diencephalon

Substantia nigra - midbrain

What neurotransmitter does the striatum release

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) - primary inhibitory neurotransmitter

Structures that form the striatum and lentiform nucleus

Striatum: caudate + putamen

Lentiform nucleus: putamen + globus pallidus

Neurotransmitters that are involved in basal nuclei function (3)

Glutamate: excitatory, from cortex/thalamus

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA): inhibitory, suppresses globus pallidus/Substantia nigra

DOPAMINE: produced in Substantia nigra

D1 receptors - excitatory, promotes movement)

D2 receptors - inhibitory, suppresses movement)

Comparing direct and indirect pathways

Direct: increases motor activity (disinhibits thalamus)

Indirect: decreases motor activity (inhibits thalamus)

Cardinal features (TRAP) of parkinson’s disease (4)

Tremour (pill rolling, fingers moving)

Rigidity (cogwheel, jerky/resistance movement)

Akinesia/bradykinesia (loss/impairment of voluntary movement)

Postural instability

Huntingtons disease - Causes + symptoms

Cause: autosomal dominant mutation (chromosome 4) > GABA neuron loss in striatum

Symptoms: chorea (jerky movement), dementia

Lesion that causes hemiballism

Contralateral subthalamic nuckeus lesion > flinging limb movements

Structures in the limbic system (4) and their roles

Hippocampus: memory (damage > anterograde amnesia)

Amygdala: fear/agression (damage > Kluver-Bucy syndrome, behavioural disorder)

Hypothalamus: homeostasis (hunger, temperature, stress)

Thalamus: sensory relay to cortex

Papez circuit

Pathway: hippocampus > fornix > mammillary bodies

Function: controls memory and emotions

Lesions: Alzheimer’s

Declarative vs Non-Declarative memory

Declarative: facts/events

Non-declarative: skills/habits

Anatomical lobes of the cerebellum (3)

Anterior lobe: spinocerebellum > limb coordination

Posterior lobe: cerebrocerebellum > motor planning

Flocculonodullar lobe: Vestibulocerebellum > balance

Function divisions of the cerebellum (3)

Spinocerebellum: propriception/muscle tone

Cerebrocerebellum: motor planning

Vestibulocerebellum: balance/eye movement

Signs of posterior lobe lesions (DANISH) (6)

Dysdiadochokinesia (inability to perform rapid, alternating movements)

Ataxia (affects balance/speech)

Nystagmus (rapid eye movement)

Intention tremor

Slurred speech

Hypotonia (decreased muscle tone)

Cause of truncal ataxia (lack of muscle coordination, trunk/torso)

Flocculonodular lobe lesion

Lobe affected by chronic alcoholism with limb ataxia

Anterior lobe