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What are the structures of the diencephalon- including any nuclei, glands, etc.?
•Thalamus (relay station) = Composed of 13 pairs of nuclei
•Hypothalamus (limbic/endocrine) = Mamillary bodies & Pituitary gland
•Epithalamus (limbic/endocrine) = Pineal gland & Habenular nucleus
•Subthalamus (asscciated with BG)
What structure(s) secrete hormones that regulate the nervous system functioning?
Pineal and pituitary gland
What structure is responsible for maintaining homeostasis? What is homeostasis? What part of the nervous system does it influence?
Hypothalamus; self-regulation; influences autonomic nervous system
What subcomponents make up the epithalamus?
Pineal gland & habenular nucleus
Describe the subthalamus.
Found at the intersection between the diencephalon and the mesencephalon (midbrain)
Connects to Basal Ganglia structures and works alongside them to assist in extrapyramidal motor control!
T/F: Pain can be sensed and localized at the level of the thalamus.
FALSE (pain can NOT be localized at the level of the thalamus)
Describe thalamic stroke. Be sure to include the 2 conditions associated with its symptoms.
AKA post-stroke pain & Dejerine-Roussy syndrome
Describes the thalamic involvement in post-stroke patient
Typically 1 month after stroke
Altered thresholds for sensations of touch, pain, and temperature (hyperalgesia & allodynia; paresthesias)
What substructure plays a role in memory formation? This substructure and which other structure are compromised in Alzheimer's?
What structure is this substructure a part of?
Mammillary bodies
Hippocampus & mamillary bodies
Mamillary bodies are part of the hypothalamus.
The pineal gland is responsible for what? What structure is it a part of?
Melatonin secretion; epithalamus
What lesions of the visual field are below the level of the optic chaism?
Right/left homonymous hemiopia
List the motor efferent and afferent pathways of the brain.
List the sensory efferent and afferent pathways of the brain.
Motor afferent (cerebellum --> basal ganglia --> thalamus)
Motor efferent (thalamus --> cortex)
Sensory afferent (cerebellum --> thalamus)
Sensory efferent (thalamus --> cortex)
What is hyperalgesia & allodynia and paraesthesias?
a. Hyperalgesia & allodynia: pain is MORE severe than it should be; pain is due to stimulus that should not typically cause pain.
-Comes from opposite side of the body (CONTRALATERAL to where stroke is)
ex. Experiencing extreme pain when someone brushed their finger on your arm
b. Parathesias: burning or prickling sensation
Which substructure produces hormones and is more directly related to homeostasis?
Which structure is this substructure a part of?
Pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is part of the hypothalamus.
i. Regulation of emotional experiences
ii. Mood regulation
-Emotional expression
iii. Impairment linked to depression and schizophrenia
What lesions of the visual pathway are located above or at the level of the optic chaism?
-Left/Right anopia
-Bitemporal hemianopia (AT optic chaism)
All ____________ information passes through the thalamus EXCEPT _________.
afferent; smell
If you were to experience irregularity in emotional regulation during emotional experiences, which substructure would be affected? Which structure is it part of?
Habenular nucleus
-Part of epithalamus
T/F: Cortisol is produced in the pituitary gland.
Explain the reasoning behind your answer.
VERY FALSE
Cortisol NOT produced in pituitary gland, but the hormone that stimulates adrenals to produce cortisol is located here (adenocorticotropic hormone)
What is Left/Right anopia?
Going to lose information from one eye
What is bitemporal hemianopia?
i. LESION AT THE OPTIC CHIASM
ii. Going to lose the temporal visual field information crossing over at optic chiasm.
iii. Bitemporal hemianopia = LOSE PERIPHERAL VISION
List the 5 thalamic nuclei we should know and what kind of sensory information each processes.
Medial geniculate - audition
Lateral geniculate - vision
Ventroposteromedial - somatosensation from face/neck
Ventroposterlateral - somatoaensation from body
Reticular – basic life functions
List the pathways (distinguishing afferent and efferent connections) for the medial geniculate, lateral geniculate, and ventroposteriorlateral thalamic nucleui.
LGN: Received at retina → travels through optic nerve → crosses at optic chaism → processed at LGN (thalamic) → processed contralaterally in primary visual cor.
MGN: Inf colliculus → MGN → primary auditory cortex
VPL: Medial & Spinal lemnisci (from dorsal medial & spinothalamic) --> VPL --> parietal lobe (primary somatosensory cortex)
T/F: Hyperalgesia & allodynia pain is CONTRALATERAL to where the thalamic stroke occurs.
TRUE
What is Right/left homonymous hemiopia?
i. Lose sight in one complete visual field
(ex. right hemiopia = only receiving information from the left visual field; vice versa)
A patient walks into your clinic with the following symptoms:
-Body pain is more severe than it typically is
-Burning or prickling sensation to the skin
-Can only see central visual field information
What conditions does he have?
-Thalamic syndrome (Hyperalgesia & allodynia, Parathesias)
-Bitemporal hemianopia