Exam I Flashcards
(118 cards)
Hierarchical processing
higher level of CNS are concerned with abstract processing of information and lower levels bring in/send information
Parallel processing
the same signal might reach different brain structures simultaneously for processing (divergent), but different purposes.
Spinal cord connections
Hierarchically ‘lowest level employees’ – responding to sensory inputs and following ‘orders’ from action systems
Involved in initial signal reception and final execution of voluntary/involuntary movements (final common pathway)
Basic/simple signal processing – spinal reflexes
Brain Stem connections
‘Middle management’ - contain important control centers (sensory and motor) for postural control and locomotion, Receives inputs from head/neck, vestibular and visual systems, sends somewhat processed signals to sensory/perceptual centers, contain motor nuclei for descending pathways to neck/face/eyes, and extra pyramidal pathways
Cerebellar connections
‘back-channel employee’ needed for comparing and calibrating movements, contains feedback and feedforward mechanisms. it has Indirect influence on motor outputs to generate smooth coordinated movements, important center for coordination and postural control during movements.
Thalamus connections
The ‘doorkeeper to the boardroom’
Acts as a junction, a relay center for signal processing
Basal Ganglia connections
Involved in higher order motor planning for coordinated movements
Receives inputs from many areas of cerebral cortex
Sends output back to motor cortex via thalamus
Cerebral Cortex connections
Highest executive level of motor control hierarchy, Has direct control on voluntary movements by activating/controlling motor neurons via corticospinal/corticobrainstem pathways
Interacts with other high level association cortical areas (premotor/SMA) to form motor plan/strategy
cross-modal processing
Information from muscle spindles, joints receptors, cutaneous receptors, etc., are integrated to give accurate information about movements in a limb
Primary motor cortex connections
Primary motor cortex have one-to-one connection (somatotopy) to the level of single motor neuron in spinal cord.
However, convergent and divergent parallel pathways are possible– one cortical site can be connect to a bunch of motor neurons (hence muscles) and one muscle can also potentially be connected to many neurons in a cortical site.
Important for recovery after injuries
Supplemental Motor Area
controls internally generated movements, also controls learned motor programs, but can transfer those programs to primary motor cortex after extensive training, also involved in planning complex motor programs
Premotor (PM) area
controls movements activated by external stimuli, like visual cues, e.g., ‘go’ when signal changes to green
Necrosis
severe injury - cellular swelling (osmosis), fragmentation of structure and cell disintegration, inflammatory response
Apoptosis
programmed cell death, no inflammatory reaction
Excitotoxicity
when neurotransmitters rise above normal levels – opens ion channels leads to excessive entry of Ca2+ ions – triggers all kinds of harmful cellular pathways – cell death
anesthesia
If all sensory modalities lost/absent
hypoesthesia
if partial loss of somatosensory
hyperesthesia
if somatosensory is hypersensitive
Parasthesia
unpleasant sensations like burning, tingling, pricking, numbness with/without sensory stimulus
Allodynia
painful sensation to a normal stimulus that should not be painful
Hyperalgesia
increased painful sensations to normally painful stimulus
Peripheral vestibular disorders
Nerve problems - vestibular neuritis (infection of nerve), perilymph fistula, Meniere’s disease
Canal problems - BPPV
Central vestibular disorders
Stroke in brainstem/cerebellum
Cerebellar degeneration
Arnold-Chiari malformation (cerebellum is coming out of foramen magnum
Nystagmus from peripheral lesions
Direction-fixed beating
Follows Alexander’s and Ewald’s laws
Beating increases as eyes are moved towards the fast phase
Beating occurs in the plane of impaired canals
Able to fixate with gaze stabilization
Habituates/compensates rapidly with time
Good outcomes with vestibular rehab
Examples of disorders – vestibular neuritis, BPPV