Motor Control By The

Cerebellum & Basal Ganglia

Jonart Villanueva MD DPBA
 The Cerebellum
• Means little brain

• Involved in balance

• Maintenance of muscle tone

• Coordination of fine motor movement

 Cerebellum
• Major function is that of a COMPARATOR
– 1. Action potentials from the cerebral motor
cortex descends into the spinal cord to initiate
voluntary movements

– 2. Collateral branches are also sent from the

motor cortex to the cerebellum, giving
information representing the intended
movement
 Cerebellum
– 3. Simultaneously, action potentials from
proprioceptive neurons reach the cerebellum.
(proprioceptive neurons innervate joints and
tendons, providing information about the
position of the body parts)

– 4. the cerebellum compares information about the

intended movement from the motor cortex
with sensory information from the moving
structures
– 5. if a difference is detected, the cerebellum sends
action potentials to motor neurons in the motor
cortex and the spinal cord to correct the
discrepancy.
– 6. The result is smooth and coordinated
movements
– Example: if you close your eyes, the cerebellar
comparator function allows you to touch your nose
smoothly and easily with your finger. If the
cerebellum is not functioning your finger tends to
overshoot.
 Cerebellum
– One effect of alcohol is to inhibit the cerebellum.
Dysfunction of the cerebellar comparator can be
understood by observing the actions of someone
who is drunk

– Another function of the cerebellum involves

learning a motor skill like playing the piano. When
such a skill is being learned the cerebrum is
directly involved in initiating the various
movements. Once the cerebellum “learns” these
skills, much of the movement can be accomplished
automatically by the cerebellum
 Behavioral Consequences of
Cerebellar Damage
• Damage to the cerebellum impairs motor
functions on the ipsilateral side

• Incoordination - called ataxia. Often expressed

as dysmetria (errors in direction and force of
movement prevent a limb from being moved
smoothly to a desired position)
 Behavioral consequences of
cerebellar damage
• Intention tremor – appears when the subject is
asked to touch a target; the affected hand
develops a tremor that increases in magnitude
as the target is approached

• Gait ataxia- equilibrium is disturbed, impaired

balance is seen, tends to fall toward the
affected side, walk with wide-base stance
• Scanning speech – slow and slurred speech

• Diminished tone may be associated with a

pendular knee jerk – strike the patellar tendon,
the leg continues to swing back and forth
because of the hypotonia
 Cerebellum
• Study the descriptions and functions of the
cellular elements and efferents of the cortex of
the cerebellum
– stellate and basket cells
– Purkinje, granule cell layer, etc.
Motor Control by the Basal Ganglia
• The basal nuclei (ganglia) are a group of
functionally related nuclei.
– Corpus striatum (located deep in the cerebrum)
– Substantia nigra, a group of darkly pigmented cells
(located in the midbrain)

– Play an important role in posture and in planning

and coordinating motor movements
 Basal Ganglia
• Complex neural connections link the basal
nuclei with cerebral cortex

• Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in

the substantia nigra ( inhibitory influence on
the corpus striatum)
 Basal Ganglia
• Major effects of the basal nuclei
– Decrease muscle tone
– Inhibit muscular activity

Disorders of the basal nuclei (Parkinson’s disease

and cerebral palsy) result in increased tone and in
exaggerated movements occurring mainly when
the person is trying to hold still, because of
decreased basal nuclei function
 Deficits Seen in Basal Ganglia
Deficits
• Abnormal movements (dyskinesia )
– Cogwheel rigidity (increased muscle tone)
– Slowness in initiating movement ( bradykinesis)
– Tremor – pill rolling dystonia, chorea ,

– Parkinson’s disease – char, by tremor, rigidity and

bradykinesia. Consequently the striatum suffers a
severe loss of dopamine.
There are two things that we need help with in movement. First is making a movement. i.e. the step where we decided
that we need to move our arm to actually moving our arm. So everything in between we need help with.

The next thing is to have our muscles not moving when we are at rest, or when we don’t want to move.

Pathway for making movement is the DIRECT PATHWAY. Pathway for not allowing a movement is the INDIRECT
PATHWAY
Subthalamic nuclei so called because it sits blow the thalamus. Nuclei of the basal ganglia together with the thalamus
Interact by interconnections to produce and control movement.
 BASAL GANGLIA
Direct pathway:
Cortex (stimulates) → Striatum (inhibits) → "SNr-GPi" complex (less inhibition of
thalamus)
→ Thalamus (stimulates) → Cortex (stimulates) → Muscles, etc. → (hyperkinetic state)
Indirect pathway:
Cortex (stimulates) → Striatum (inhibits) → GPe (less inhibition of STN)
→ STN(stimulates)
→ "SNr-GPi" complex (inhibits) → Thalamus (is stimulating less) → Cortex(is stimulating
less)
→ Muscles, etc. → (hypokinetic state)

Dopamine therefore increases the excitatory effect of the direct pathway (causing movement) and
reduces the inhibitory effect of the indirect pathway (preventing full inhibition of movement).

Through these mechanisms the body is able to maintain balance between excitation and inhibition
of motion. Lack of balance in this delicate system leads to pathologies such as Parkinson's
disease.

Parkinson's disease involves the loss of dopamine which means the direct pathway is less able to
function (so no movement is initiated) and the indirect pathway is in overdrive (causing too much
inhibition of movement).
 Hypokinetic Disorder
Parkinson’s Disease
• 0.1-1.0% of the population
• Incidence rises in older population
• Degeneration of neurons in substantia nigra
and to the loss of the neurotransmitter
dopamine
• Symptoms:
1. Positive – abnormal behaviors not seen in intact
individuals
2. Negative – absence of normal behaviours
 Hypokinetic Disorder
Parkinson’s Disease
POSITIVE SYMTOMS NEGATIVE SYMTOMS

Tremors at rest 1. Abnormal posture

Muscular rigidity – 2.
simultaneously increasing the
muscle tone in both extensor and3.
flexor muscles.
Involuntary movements –
akatheisia –motor restlessness, 4.
ranging from a feeling of inner
disquiet to an inability to sit or 5.
lie quietly
6.
Abnormal righting – difficulties in
achieving a standing position
Abnormal locomotion – difficulty
initiating stepping Festination –
tendency to engage in behavior at
faster and faster speeds.
Aprosodia – Lack of emotional
tone in speech and comprehension of
emotional tone
Akinesia – absence of movement
(e.g., blank facial expressions, lack of
blinking)
Bradykinesia – slowness of
movement
 Hyperkinetic Disorder
Huntington’s Chorea
• Genetic disorder associated with
intellectual deterioration and
abnormal movements
• The symptoms appear from 30 to 50 Striatum
years of age
• Initially the person shows small
involuntary movements that look
like fidgeting
• These symptoms increase until they
are incessant usually involve
whole limbs
• Eventually the movements become
uncontrollable and affect the head,
face, trunk and limbs

Caused by:
Pink=inhibition
Increased glutamate in striatum which destroys Blue=excitation
GABA neurons in BG and loss of inhibition.
Steps in Motor Action
 Differences Between the Basal
Ganglia and Cerebellar Motor
Basal Ganglia Loops
Cerebellum
• Receive input from most • More restricted
areas of the cerebral cortex

• Output more widespread and • Cerebellar circuit influences

reaches the prefrontal cortex only the premotor and motor
as well as all premotor areas cortexi

• Do not receive • Is the target of several

somatosensory information somatosensory pathways
from ascending pathways in
the spinal cord • Has rich connections with
brainstem nuclei