Basal Ganglia & Cerebellum

Question 1

What is the major function of the cerebellum?

Answer 1

Co-ordination of movement

Question 2

What area of the frontal lobe is associated with movement?

Answer 2

Posterior portion

Question 3

What are the gyri of the cerebellum called?

Answer 3

Folia

Question 4

What are the 3 lobes of the cerebellum?

Answer 4

• anterior lobe
• posterior lobe
• floccululonodular lobe

Question 5

What lies between anterior and posterior lobe of cerebellum?

Answer 5

Primary fissure

Question 6

What part of the flocculonodular lobe sticks out like an ear?

Answer 6

Flocculus

Question 7

The cerebellum is supra tentorial. True/false?

Answer 7

False - it’s infratentorial

Question 8

How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem (mostly the pons)?

Answer 8

3 peduncles - middle cerebellar peduncle is largest, superior and inferior smaller

Question 9

What is the superior and inferior vermis?

Answer 9

ties around the middle of the cerebellum like a worm

Question 10

What is the name of the deep grey matter embedded in the middle of the cerebellum?

Answer 10

Deep cerebellar nuclei

Question 11

What is the order of the following grey matter layers in the cerebellar cortex? Purkinje cell layer, molecular layer, granule cell layer. And which is thinnest layer?

Answer 11

Outer: Molecular layer
Middle: Purkinje cell layer
Inner: Granule cell layer
-Purkinje thinnest

Question 12

From what 3 structures does info arrive into the cerebellum?

Answer 12

Spinal cord,
Cerebral cortex,
Vestibular apparatus

Question 13

What 2 receptors does info from the spinal cord to cerebellum come from?

Answer 13

• somatic proprioceptors

- pressure receptors

Question 14

What is the innermost layer of the CEREBELLAR cortex?

Answer 14

Granule cell layer

Question 15

What cell layer of cerebellar cortex projects efferent axons?

Answer 15

Purkinje cell layer

Question 16

What are Purkinje cells?

Answer 16

Neurons in cerebellar cortex that are inhibitory. Have lots of dendrites and send info to cerebellum and are involved in coordination and learning.

Question 17

How does a patient with a spinocerebellum lesion present and explain why this is?

Answer 17

Disturbance of postural control but preserved limb co-ordination as this comes from pontocerebellum

Question 18

Describe presentation of patient with unilateral cerebellar hemispheric lesion.

Answer 18

Disturbance of limb co-ordination

Question 19

What side of the body will cerebellar hemispheric lesions present?

Answer 19

Ipsilateral side of lesion

Question 20

What effect does alcohol have on cerebellum?

Answer 20

bilateral cerebellar dysfunction - slowed, slurred speech, lack of limb coordination

Question 21

What are basal ganglia AKA basal nuceli?

Answer 21

5 grey matter masses which work with motor cortex to carry out movements

Question 22

What are 3 main functions of basal ganglia?

Answer 22

• facilitate purposeful movement
• inhibit unwanted movements
• posture & muscle tone

Question 23

What are the 5 basal ganglia?

Answer 23

• caudate nucleus
• putamen
• globus pallidus
• subthalamic nucleus
• substantia nigra

Question 24

What makes up the striatum?

Answer 24

Caudate nucleus and putamen

Question 25

What makes up the lenticular/lentiform nucleus?

Answer 25

- putamen | - globus pallidus

Question 26

What makes up the corpus striatum?

Answer 26

- caudate nucleus - putamen - globus pallidus

Question 27

Where is caudate nucleus?

Answer 27

begins on floor of lateral ventricle & follows shape of lateral ventricle to end up in roof of ventricle

Question 28

What separates the caudate nucleus from the lentiform nucleus?

Answer 28

internal capsule

Question 29

Where is substantia nigra?

Answer 29

two black lines along the midbrain

Question 30

What is the role of the dopaminic substantia nigra?

Answer 30

makes excitatory and inhibitory pathways in the brain much more effective (damaged in Parkinsons)

Question 31

Unilateral lesions of the basal ganglia affect the contralateral side of the body. True/false?

Answer 31

True

Question 32

What do basal ganglia lesions cause? (2)

Answer 32

changes in muscle tone, | dyskinesias e.g. tremor, chorea, myoclonus

Question 33

What is the name for a sinusoidal movement?

Answer 33

Tremor

Question 34

What are chorea?

Answer 34

rapid, asymmetrical movements usually affecting distal limb musculature (writhing)

Question 35

What are myoclonus?

Answer 35

Muscle jerks

Question 36

Lesions of the basal ganglia can cause paralysis, sensory loss, loss of power or ataxia. True/false?

Answer 36

False!!

Question 37

What is the pathology of Parkinsons disease?

Answer 37

Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra

Question 38

3 signs of Parkinsons?

Answer 38

akinesia, rigidity, resting tremor

Question 39

What is the inheritance pattern & pathology of Huntington's disease?

Answer 39

autosomal dominant disorder, | progressive degeneration of the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex

Question 40

2 signs of Huntington's disease?

Answer 40

- chorea | - progressive dementia

Question 41

What pathway is the subthalamic nucleus involved in?

Answer 41

indirect pathway

Question 42

What is the difference between direct and indirect pathways in the basal ganglia?

Answer 42

- Direct pathway facilitates movement (enhances wanted movements) - Indirect pathway inhibits movement