Neuromotor Basis for Motor Control

Flashcards covering basal ganglia, cerebellum, diencephalon, brainstem, spinal cord, and sensory pathways based on lecture notes (Georgia Sout, 1906).

What are the four large nuclei of the Basal Ganglia?

Caudate nucleus, putamen, substantia nigra, and globus pallidus.

What motor functions are the Basal Ganglia involved in?

Movement initiation, coordination of antagonist muscles during movement, and control of movement force.

Which structure provides the dopaminergic input to the striatum that modulates the direct and indirect Basal Ganglia pathways?

Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC).

Parkinson's disease is commonly associated with Basal Ganglia dysfunction due to a lack of which neurotransmitter?

Dopamine.

Name the Parkinsonian motor symptoms mentioned in the notes.

Bradykinesia, akinesia, rigidity, and tremor.

What are the two primary nuclear groups in the Diencephalon?

Thalamus and Hypothalamus.

What is the Thalamus's role in motor control as described in the notes?

Acts as a relay station: receives and integrates sensory information and sends it to the cerebral cortex; important for attention, mood, and pain perception.

What is the Hypothalamus's primary function?

Control of the endocrine system and body homeostasis.

Where is the Cerebellum located?

Behind the cerebrum and attached to the brainstem.

Name key structural components of the Cerebellum listed in the notes.

Cerebellar cortex, two hemispheres, vermis; white matter; connections to the red nucleus and oculomotor nucleus; peduncular connections.

What are the main functional roles of the Cerebellum?

Control of smooth and accurate movements; eye–hand coordination; movement timing; posture; motor skill learning; error detection and correction via efference copy.

What is an efference copy in cerebellar processing?

A copy of motor commands sent to the cerebellum for comparing intended vs actual movement.

What major ascending sensory tracts transmit information relevant to motor control?

Dorsal column (proprioception, touch, pressure), Anterolateral system (pain & temperature), and Spinocerebellar tract (proprioception to cerebellum).

What are the major brainstem components involved in motor control?

Pons, Medulla, and Reticular formation.

What is the function of the Pons in motor control?

Involved in control of various body functions (e.g., chewing) and balance.

What is the function of the Medulla?

Regulatory center for internal physiologic processes (e.g., breathing).

What is the Reticular Formation's role in motor control?

Integrator of sensory and motor information; inhibits/activates neural signals to skeletal muscles.

What is the spinal cord's gray matter organized as, and what are the dorsal and ventral horns?

Gray matter is H-shaped with dorsal (sensory) horns and ventral (motor) horns; contains alpha motor neurons and interneurons (e.g., Renshaw cells).

What are dorsal roots, ventral roots, and dorsal root ganglia?

Dorsal roots carry sensory information; ventral roots carry motor information; dorsal root ganglion contains sensory neuron cell bodies.

Which tracts constitute the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system, and what do they carry?

Gracile and cuneate fasciculi carrying proprioception, touch, and pressure to the brain via the medial lemniscus.

Which tract conveys pain and temperature information to the brain?

The Anterolateral system (spinothalamic tract).

Which thalamic nuclei receive outputs from the Basal Ganglia and project to the motor cortex?

Centromedian and parafascicular nuclei; ventral anterior (VA) and ventral lateral (VL) nuclei.

What is the Spinocerebellar tract’s role?

Provides proprioceptive information to the cerebellum for motor control.

Which pathways link the Cerebellum to movement execution such as rubrospinal and vestibulospinal tracts?

Cerebellum interacts with the rubrospinal and vestibulospinal tracts to influence movement and posture.