Deck 11: Basal Ganglia, cerebellum, and Movement

Question 1

Which one of the following basal ganglia loops motivates a pediatric patient to participate in therapy for stickers?

A)Motor loop
B)Executive loop
C)Behavioral flexibility and control loop
D)Limbic loop

Answer 1

D
Explanation: The limbic loop of the basal ganglia links limbic,cognitive,and motor systems;identifies value of stimuli;is involved in reward-guided behaviors;monitors errors in predictions;and is concerned with seeking pleasure.

Question 2

The return of motor control after treatment of focal dystonia is likely the result of which one of the following?

A)Stretching of tight muscles
B)Application of heat to relieve spasms
C)Improvement in the organization of somatosensory cortex
D)None of the above

Answer 2

C
Explanation: A treatment protocol for musician's dystonia developed by Byl consists of the cessation of abnormal movements,avoidance of heavy gripping of instruments (e.g.,pens,musical instruments),sensory retraining,and mental rehearsal of the target movement without overt body movement.After completing the protocol,all participants in Byl's study showed improvement in strength,stereognosis,motor control,and other clinical measures.Improvement in motor control was accompanied by improvement in the organization of somatosensory cortex.Because the muscle contractions are caused by basal ganglia dysfunction,attempts at treating the disorder by stretching the muscles are ineffective.Heat,cold,and exercise may be helpful to relieve pain and/or spasms.

Question 3

The basal ganglia are important for influencing motor movements but is also involved in other types of behavior.Which of the following additional loops involves the basal ganglia?

A)Oculomotor loop
B)Executive loop
C)Behavioral flexibility and control loop
D)All of the above

Answer 3

D
Explanation: The basal ganglia are critical parts of four additional and separate,parallel cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic loops: oculomotor,executive,behavioral flexibility and control,and limbic.

Question 4

Postural instability in individuals with akinetic-rigid Parkinson's disease is caused by which of the following?

A)Rigidity of postural flexor and extensor musculature
B)Disinhibition of the reticulospinal tracts
C)Loss of pedunculopontine cells
D)All of the above

Question 5

Dyskinesia is a side effect caused by prolonged use of which one of the following chemical agents for treatment of Parkinson's disease?

A)Acetylcholinesterase
B)L-dopa
C)Botulinum
D)Baclofen
E)Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)agonists

Question 6

Which of the following is a potential treatment option for individuals with Parkinson's disease?

A)L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA)
B)Deep-brain stimulation
C)Physical and occupational therapy
D)All of the above

Question 7

MSA is characterized by which one of the following?

A)Akinetic-rigid syndrome
B)Cerebellar signs
C)Autonomic dysfunction
D)All of the above

Question 8

How does motor information from the basal ganglia reach spinal lower motor neurons?

A)Neurons in the basal ganglia that have axonal connections directly to spinal lower motor neurons.
B)Neural connections with the cerebellum.
C)Output to the thalamus and pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN),which synapse with cortical and brainstem motor neurons that project to the spinal lower motor neurons.
D)Direct connections from the striatum to lower motor neurons.
E)Neurons from the subthalamic nucleus directly synapse with spinal lower motor neurons.

Question 9

Which of the following is (are)associated with the emergence of focal hand dystonia?

A)Excessive repetition or overuse
B)Somatotopic degradation of somatosensory cortex
C)Central impairment of proprioception
D)Both A and B
E)A,B,and C

Question 10

Huntington's disease is characterized by which one of the following?

A)Chorea
B)Dementia
C)Hypokinesia
D)Both A and B

Question 11

Major roles of the cerebellum are to:

A)Compare actual movement to intended movement.
B)Adjust movements to existing conditions.
C)Provide conscious awareness of proprioceptive information.
D)Both A and B
E)A,B,and C

Question 12

Which one of the following is an example of focal dystonia?

A)Segawa's dystonic
B)Tourette's disorder
C)Spasmodic torticollis
D)None of the above

Question 13

Deep brain stimulation of which structure is safe and effective for reducing tremors in Parkinson's disease?

A)Putamen
B)Caudate
C)Thalamus
D)Substantia nigra
E)Red nucleus

Question 14

The functions of the cerebrocerebellum and dentate nuclei include which one of the following?

A)Coordination of voluntary movements
B)Planning of movements
C)Timing
D)All of the above

Question 15

Which one of the following are distinctive signs of akinetic-rigid Parkinson's disease?

A)Hypokinesia
B)Freezing during movement
C)Resting tremor
D)All of the above

Question 16

The cortico-basal ganglia-thalamus motor loop contributes to:

A)Regulation of muscle force
B)Sequencing of movements
C)Regulation of muscle tone
D)Selection and inhibition of specific motor synergies
E)All of the above

Question 17

Parkinson-plus syndromes are the collective name for primary neurodegenerative diseases that cause signs similar to Parkinson's disease and include which one of the following diseases?

A)Progressive supranuclear palsy
B)Alzheimer disease
C)Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
D)Huntington's disease

Question 18

Which one of the following basal ganglia loops is involved in goal-directed behavior,planning,and choosing actions in context?

A)Motor loop
B)Executive loop
C)Behavioral flexibility and control loop
D)Limbic loop

Question 19

Which one of the following brain structures is part of the basal ganglia motor circuit?

A)Primary motor cortex and premotor cortical areas
B)Putamen
C)Thalamus
D)All of the above

Question 20

Which one of the following basal ganglia loops is involved in recognizing it is socially inappropriate to burp out loud in the middle of lecture?

A)Motor loop
B)Executive loop
C)Behavioral flexibility and control loop
D)Limbic loop