Neuroscience > Forebrain > Flashcards

Forebrain Flashcards

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1
Q

List the basic functions of the thalamus

A
  1. filter and process afferent input from:
    • basal ganglia (VA, VL)
    • cerebellum (VL)
    • all conscious sensory except olfaction
  2. send efferent output to cerebral cortex
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2
Q

List the type of sensory info that is processed by the thalamus and where it is processed/filtered.

A
  1. body somatosensation (VPL)
  2. head somatosensation (VPM)
  3. vision (lateral geniculate)
  4. auditory (medial geniculate)
  5. taste (VPM)
  6. balance (VPL)
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3
Q

the thalamus is functionally divided into 3 nuclei types. List them

A
  1. relay
  2. association
  3. nonspecific
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4
Q

what is the role of relay thalamic nuclei?

A

connect BG, cerebellum, and conscious sensory (except olfaction) to the cerebral cortex

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5
Q

relay thalamic nuclei can be subdivided by whether it is motor or sensory relays. List the portion of the thalamus that is responsible for each

A
  1. motor = VA, VL
  2. sensory = VPM, VPL, medial/lateral geniculate
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6
Q

what is the role of associative thalamic nuclei?

A

sensory, memory, emotion (limbic function) integration

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7
Q

what portions/parts of the thalamus are associative nuclei? Pair the location with it’s associative role

A
  1. declarative memory
    • anterior nuclei
    • lateral dorsal nuclei
    • midline nuclei
  2. sensory integration
    • lateral posterior
    • pulvinar
  3. emotion
    • medial group
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8
Q

what is the role of nonspecific thalamic nuclei?

A

regulate consciousness, arousal, attention

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9
Q

what portions of the thalamus are nonspecific nuclei?

A

interlaminar nuclei

reticular nuclei

**these modulate the signals of the other thalamic nuclei

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10
Q

what is the hypothalamus?

A

about a dozen nuclei located in the diencephalon

connected to the pituitary by infundibulum

**king of homeostasis

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11
Q

what are the functions of the hypothalamus

A

regulate homeostasis → subdivided into 2 categories:

  1. visceral regulation
  2. behavior regulation
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12
Q

What does the hypothalamus visceral (unconscious autonomic reflex) control include?

A
  1. reflex control for viscerosensory afferent and autonomic motor efferent
  2. endocrine control
  3. thermoregulation
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13
Q

what hypothalamic nuclei is responsible for reflex control of viscersensory afferent and autonomic motor efferent?

A

paraventricular nuclei

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14
Q

what brainstem nuclei coordinate with the paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus to control BP?

A
  1. viscerosensory afferent for BP = solitary nuclei
  2. autonomic motor efferent for BP:
    1. PNS = dorsal motor nuclei (decrease BP)
    2. SNS = ventrolateral medulla (increase BP)
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15
Q

the hypothalamus coordinates and controls what endocrine organ to influence endocrine function?

A

pituitary gland

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16
Q

what hypothalamic nuclei communicate with the posterior pituitary? What hormones do these nuclei release?

A

supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei

ADH = increase BP, fluid retention

Oxytocin = “feel good hormone”

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17
Q

what hypothalamic nuclei influence and control the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary?

A

arcuate nuclei

ventromedial nuclei

dorsomedial nuclei

tuberal nuclei

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18
Q

how do hypothalamic nuclei influence the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary?

A

the hypothalamic nuclei release tropins (+/- factors) that will either inhibit/stimulate the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary

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19
Q

what hypothalamic nuclei control/influence rhythmic endocrine control?

A

suprachiasmatic nucleus = circadian (time of year)

preoptic nucleus = diurnal (time of day)

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20
Q

what hypothalamic nuclei is responsible for thermoregulation?

A

preoptic nuclei

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21
Q

what does the process of thermoregulation involve?

A
  1. heat loss center
  2. heat conservation center
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22
Q

how does the heat loss center perform thermoregulation?

A

↑blood temp →hypothalamus thermosensory cells →cardiovascular & respiratory centers →vasodilation/perspiration & panting

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23
Q

how does the heat conservation center perform thermoregulation?

A

↓blood temp →hypothalamus thermosensory cells →brainstem control centers →vasoconstriction, ↑CO, ↑metabolism, piloerection, shivering

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24
Q

what behaviors are influenced by hypothalamic nuclei?

A
  1. drinking
  2. feeding
  3. sexual
  4. emotional
  5. sleep
  6. memory
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25
what hypothalamic nucleus is the thirst center?
paraventricular nucleus
26
what hypothalamic nuclei influence feeding behaviors?
dorsomedial nucleus ventromedial nucleus
27
T/F: feeding behaviors are tied to the limbic system and have an emotional aspect to them?
TRUE feeding center = governed by olfaction, taste and **amgydala**
28
what is the satiety center?
set point relative to metabolic rate, previous caloric intake, and current calorie intake
29
what hypothalamic nucleus is responsible for sexual behaviors?
preoptic (female hypothalamus has estrogen and progesteron receptors) (male hypothalamus has testosterone receptors)
30
what hypothalamic nuclei are responsible for emotional behaviors?
aggression/fight or flight behavior dorsomedial nucleus ventromedial nucleus mamillary bodies
31
what hypothalamic nucleus is responsible for sleep behavior?
suprachiasmatic nucleus
32
what hypothalamic nuclei are responsible for memory?
dorsomedial nucleus ventromedial nucleus mamillary bodies
33
other than the hypothalamus and thalamus, what other structures are in the diencephalon?
subthalamus epithalamus
34
what is the function of the subthalamus?
relay for basal ganglion mediated motor modulation
35
what is the epithalamus made up of?
1. habenular complex 2. pineal gland
36
what is the role of the habenular complex?
it is a relay linking the limbic system/hypothalamus to the midbrain
37
what is the role of the pineal gland?
it is an endocrine gland whose function is not well characterized but may include: 1. day length modulated hormone release 2. secretion of: 1. neurosecretory hormones (NE, serotonin, and melatonin) 2. hypothalamic releasing/inhibitory factors
38
what is the limbic system?
a collection of structures in the telencephalon and diencephalon whose overall function is to modulate the hypothalamus and PAG to affect emotional behavior, motivation, and short term memory
39
what structures are included in the limbic system?
1. hippocampal formation 1. hippocampus 2. dentate gyrus 3. subicular gyrus (parahippocampal gyrus) 2. septal area 1. M/L septal nuclei 2. diagonal band of Broca 3. amygdale 4. prefrontal cortex 5. cingulated gyrus 6. substantia innominate 7. insula
40
what is a defining property of a limbic structure?
it communicates with the hypothalamus and PAG to modulate the activity of these structures
41
what are the specific functions of the hippocampal formation?
1. modulation of aggression and rage 2. autonomic and endocrine = visceral 3. learning and memory * via long term potentiation
42
what are the specific functions of the septal area?
1. modulation of aggression and rage 2. autonomic visceral 3. drinking behavior
43
what are the specific functions of the amgydale?
1. aggression and rage 2. feeding behavior 3. cardiovascular, endocrine visceral 4. learning and memory
44
what are the specific limbic functions of the prefrontal cortex?
1. emotional and intellectual processes 2. suppresses aggression and rage 3. affects feeding behaviors 4. visceral functions: 1. BP, respiration, gastric motility, thermoregulation
45
what are the specific limbic functions of the cingulated gyrus?
function is similar to that of prefrontal cortex
46
what are the specific limbic functions of the substantia innominata?
1. relay between amygdale and hypothalamus 2. contains basal nucleus of Meynert = a cholinergic efferent to cortex and other limbic structures
47
what supplies afferent input to the limbic system?
1. special senses 2. reticular formation monoamine neuronal projections 3. hypothalamus feedback connections 4. thalamus
48
T/F: the limbic system has an associative aspect to it?
TRUE different parts of the limbic system are interconnected
49
List the efferent outputs from the limbic system
1. thalamus 2. hypothalamus 3. cerebral cortex 4. periaqueductal gray
50
briefly describe the reticular system
a diffuse set of nuclei located in the core of the brainstem running from the diencephalon to the spinal cord. It has synaptic connections with ascending and descending tracts as well as CN nuclei
51
what is the function of the reticular system?
1. modulate sensory, motor and autonomic activity 2. behavioral 1. sleep/wake (RAS) 2. consciousness 3. emotion 4. refine motor signals 5. pain modulation
52
List the afferent inputs to the reticular system
1. conscious sensation (somatosensation and special sensory) 2. motor 3. autonomic
53
what provides conscious sensation afferent input to the reticular system?
1. discriminative pain sensation from body/head 2. nondiscriminative pain sensation from body 3. special senses
54
describe the discriminative pain from body/head pathway (with respect to the reticular system)
spinothalamic/trigeminothalamic tract → reticular formation → thalamus (VPM/VPL) → cortex/post central gyrus → localized pain response
55
describe the nondiscriminative pain pathway (with respect to the reticular system(
spinoreticular tract → reticular formation → thalamus (non discriminative) → hypothalamus/cortex → emotional non localizable pain response
56
what supplies motor afferent input to the reticular system?
1. sensory/motor cortex → reticular formation (PPN) → reticulospinal tracts → affect extensor motor neurons → affect posture 2. cerebellum * cortex → reticular formation → fastigial nucleus and vermal/paravermal
57
what automonic structures provide afferent input to the reticular system?
1. chemo and baroreceptors * CN 9 and 10 → inferior ganglia → solitary nucleus → reticular formation → dorsal motor nucleus/ventrolateral → PNS/SNS control of BP 2. limbic structures 3. hypothalamus
58
List the efferent outputs of the reticular system
1. nonspecific thalamic nuclei 2. PAG 3. from monoamine and cholinergic nuclei of reticular formation to the cortex, hypothalamus and limbic system 4. cerebral cortex 5. spinal cord 6. horizontal gaze center 7. autonomic function
59
how does the reticular formation increase/decrease activity of the thalamus and cortex to regualte wakefulness?
1. ACh (PPN) and serotonin (raphe nucleus) → sleep 2. NE (locus cerulus) → wakefulness
60
what are alpha and beta rhythms with respect to sleep?
1. alpha rhythm = awake 2. beta rhythm = REM sleep = dreaming sleep
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