PSY 627 CERTIFICATION TEST PAPER
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
FULLY VERIFIED
●● What are the structures that make up the basal ganglia?
Answer: Caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus,
substantia nigra.
●● What is the striatum?
Answer: The major input structure of the basal ganglia, consisting of the
caudate and putamen.
●● What are the segments of the globus pallidus?
Answer: Internal segment (GPi) and external segment (GPe).
●● What is the subthalamic nucleus?
Answer: A structure within the basal ganglia.
●● What is the role of the thalamic nuclei in extrapyramidal motor
pathways?
Answer: They are closely associated with the basal ganglia and
participate in extrapyramidal motor pathways.
,●● What are the direct and indirect pathways?
Answer: Two interconnected circuits within the basal ganglia that
modulate motor function.
●● What happens in the direct pathway?
Answer: Excitatory input from the cortex activates the striatum, which
inhibits the GPi, resulting in increased cortical motor activity.
●● What is the role of the indirect pathway?
Answer: It inhibits the thalamus, reducing cortical motor activity.
●● What is the net effect of the direct pathway?
Answer: Facilitation of voluntary movements.
●● What is the net effect of the indirect pathway?
Answer: Inhibition of voluntary movements.
●● What is the function of the GPi?
Answer: Inhibition of the thalamus.
●● What is the function of the GPe?
Answer: Inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus.
,●● What is the function of the subthalamic nucleus?
Answer: Excitation of the GPi.
●● What is the indirect pathway?
Answer: Inhibitory pathway in basal ganglia.
●● What is the function of the indirect pathway?
Answer: Regulate unwanted motor actions.
●● How do the direct and indirect pathways work together?
Answer: Modulate motor activity.
●● What is Parkinson's disease?
Answer: Disorder caused by dopamine neuron degeneration.
●● What are the hypokinetic symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
Answer: Bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor.
●● What is deep brain stimulation (DBS)?
Answer: Implanting electrodes to modulate abnormal neuronal activity.
●● What is the purpose of DBS?
, Answer: Alleviate motor symptoms.
●● What are the thalamic motor circuitry nuclei involved in motor
control?
Answer: VA/VL and CM/pf.
●● What inputs converge in the thalamus to modulate motor function?
Answer: Inputs from the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and
superior colliculus.
●● What is the function of the reticulospinal tract?
Answer: Controls muscle tone and reflex activity.
●● What is the function of the tectospinal tract?
Answer: Orienting the eyes and head towards visual and auditory
stimuli.
●● What is the function of the vestibulospinal tract?
Answer: Helps maintain coordination, posture, balance, and spatial
orientation.
●● What is the primary function of the basal ganglia pathways?
Answer: Modulating voluntary movements.
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
FULLY VERIFIED
●● What are the structures that make up the basal ganglia?
Answer: Caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus,
substantia nigra.
●● What is the striatum?
Answer: The major input structure of the basal ganglia, consisting of the
caudate and putamen.
●● What are the segments of the globus pallidus?
Answer: Internal segment (GPi) and external segment (GPe).
●● What is the subthalamic nucleus?
Answer: A structure within the basal ganglia.
●● What is the role of the thalamic nuclei in extrapyramidal motor
pathways?
Answer: They are closely associated with the basal ganglia and
participate in extrapyramidal motor pathways.
,●● What are the direct and indirect pathways?
Answer: Two interconnected circuits within the basal ganglia that
modulate motor function.
●● What happens in the direct pathway?
Answer: Excitatory input from the cortex activates the striatum, which
inhibits the GPi, resulting in increased cortical motor activity.
●● What is the role of the indirect pathway?
Answer: It inhibits the thalamus, reducing cortical motor activity.
●● What is the net effect of the direct pathway?
Answer: Facilitation of voluntary movements.
●● What is the net effect of the indirect pathway?
Answer: Inhibition of voluntary movements.
●● What is the function of the GPi?
Answer: Inhibition of the thalamus.
●● What is the function of the GPe?
Answer: Inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus.
,●● What is the function of the subthalamic nucleus?
Answer: Excitation of the GPi.
●● What is the indirect pathway?
Answer: Inhibitory pathway in basal ganglia.
●● What is the function of the indirect pathway?
Answer: Regulate unwanted motor actions.
●● How do the direct and indirect pathways work together?
Answer: Modulate motor activity.
●● What is Parkinson's disease?
Answer: Disorder caused by dopamine neuron degeneration.
●● What are the hypokinetic symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
Answer: Bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor.
●● What is deep brain stimulation (DBS)?
Answer: Implanting electrodes to modulate abnormal neuronal activity.
●● What is the purpose of DBS?
, Answer: Alleviate motor symptoms.
●● What are the thalamic motor circuitry nuclei involved in motor
control?
Answer: VA/VL and CM/pf.
●● What inputs converge in the thalamus to modulate motor function?
Answer: Inputs from the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and
superior colliculus.
●● What is the function of the reticulospinal tract?
Answer: Controls muscle tone and reflex activity.
●● What is the function of the tectospinal tract?
Answer: Orienting the eyes and head towards visual and auditory
stimuli.
●● What is the function of the vestibulospinal tract?
Answer: Helps maintain coordination, posture, balance, and spatial
orientation.
●● What is the primary function of the basal ganglia pathways?
Answer: Modulating voluntary movements.
