Motor Systems

Mark Kozsurek, M.D., Ph.D.

mark@kozsurek.hu

ED II, 18/11/2011

Pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems

Pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems can only be separated anatomically but not functionally! None of the two systems can work properly alone, they constitute one motor system together!!!

Pyramidal system is the chief organizer and executor of voluntary movements.

Extrapyramidal system includes all the motor centres and pathways that lie outside the pyramidal system and are beyond voluntary control. Extrapyramidal system:

coordinates movements of various groups of muscles both in space and time, regulates job- and sport-specific automatic movements consisting of periodic elements (e.g. walking, running, riding a bike, dancing, driving a car, handwriting or typing, etc.), controls emotional movements, helps to control posture and balance, regulates muscle tone.

Just a sketch: only the principal components can be recognized. PYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

Colours, beauty, harmony, regularity, but not more than an abstract art. EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

Taken together: the real world.

Does he move?

YES stands up and walks, so the pyramidal system is working.

Is there any harmony, beauty, regularity in his movement? Is the posture and balance O.K? NO the lack of extrapyramidal functions

I do not state that alcohol switches off the extrapyramidal system selectively, it is just used as an example!

The pyramidal system

Sceletal muscles of the head and neck

Sceletal muscles of the trunk and limbs

CORTICONUCLEAR TRACT

CORTICOSPINAL TRACT

The pyramidal system - Summary

Pyramidal system is the chief organizer and executor of voluntary movements. Upper motoneurons are located in the cerebral cortex, while lower motoneurons can be found in the motor nuclei of cranial nerves or in the spinal ventral horn.

Descending axons of upper motoneurons that terminate in the motor nuclei of cranial nerves and in the spinal cord constitute the corticonuclear and corticospinal tracts, respectively. The corticonuclear tract reaches the lower motoneurons of both sides (bilateral innervation), while corticospinal fibres target the lower motoneurons of the opposite side only (crossed pathway).

The extrapyramidal system

Components of the extrapyramidal system

cortical areas

caudate nucl. thalamus putamen globus pallidus zona incerta, subthalamic nucl. substantia nigra, red nucleus, reticular formation, superior collicle cerebellum, pontine nuclei, inferior olivary nucl.

vestibular apparatus

Loops of the extrapyramidal system

cortex corticostriatal tract putamen pallidum lenticular ansa and fascicle thalamus VA/VL thalamocortical tract cortex

Loops of the extrapyramidal system

cortex corticopontine tracts pontine nuclei pontocerebellar tract cerebellum cerebellothalamic tract thalamus VA/VL thalamocortical tract cortex

Loops of the extrapyramidal system

cortex corticopontine tracts pontine nuclei pontocerebellar tract cerebellum cerebellorubral tract red nucleus rubrothalamic tract thalamus VA/VL thalamocortical tract cortex

Loops of the extrapyramidal system

striatum globus pallidus pallidotegmental tract mesencephalic reticular formation reticulothalamic tract thalamus IL/CM striatum

thalamus

thalamic fascicle

H1
ZI

globus pallidus

FORELLS FIELDS

H2

cerebellothalamic and rubrothalamic tracts

SN

ZI: zona incerta, SN: subthalamic nucl.

vestibulocerebellar tr. cerebellovestibular tr. olivocerebellar tr. cerebello-olivary tr. reticulocerebellar tr. cerebelloreticular tr. pallidum - subthalamus nigrostriatal tr. (dopamine) striatonigral tr. (GABA)

Reciprocal connections

central tegmental tract lateral geniculate body superior collicle

Further connections

Efferent extrapyramidal pathways

rubrospinal tr.
tectospinal tr. reticulospinal tr. vestibulospinal tr.

olivospinal tr. ???

The extrapyramidal system - Summary

Structures involved in motor functions that lie outside the pyramidal system and are beyond voluntary control of movements. Extrapyramidal system controls automatic, repetitive, emotional movements as well as the posture and balance. Extrapyramidal centres are mainly interconnected by closed loops. From the loops descending efferents arise and target the same lower motoneurons as the pyramidal tracts.

side of origin

Common terminal pathway

crossed tracts

uncrossed tracts

CSl

ReS

RuS

ReS

CSa OlS
VeS

TeS

CSl: lateral corticospinal, CSa: anterior corticospinal, RuS: rubrospinal, ReS: reticulospinal, VeS: vestibulospinal, OlS: olivospinal, TeS: tectospinal

CSl RuS ReS

ReS CSa OlS VeS TeS

alpha motoneurons to extrafusal muscle fibres gamma motoneurons to intrafusal fibres of muscle spindles (gamma-loop)

Gamma-loop

gamma motoneuron

alpha motoneuron

About the gamma-loop

Skeletal muscles can be activated directly, by the stimulation of alpha-motoneurons or indirectly, via the gamma loop proprioceptive reflex arc. Stimulation of gamma-motoneurons results in the contraction of intrafusal fibres of muscle spindles. Shorthening of the muscle spindle (similarly to the stretching of the surrounding muscles) activates the proprioceptive reflex arc. This results in the indirect contraction of extrafusal (working) muscle fibres.

CSl RuS ReS

ReS CSa OlS VeS TeS

alpha motoneurons to extrafusal muscle fibres gamma motoneurons to intrafusal fibres of muscle spindles (gamma-loop)

Common terminal pathway - Summary

Corticonuclear and corticospinal fibres may terminate directly on alpha-motoneurons (innervating muscles of eyeballs and fingers), but more frequently the connection is indirect and is performed through an interneuron.
Extrapyramidal pathways predominantly target gammamotoneurons (directly or indirectly) and initiate movements via the gamma-loop and the proprioceptive reflex arc.

Other cortical fields

Somatomotor and somatosensory cortex

60% 40% pyramidal

extrapyramidal

dorsal column medial lemnicus

basal ganglia

thalamus

brainstem

CEREBELLUM

spinocerebellar tracts

lower motoneurons

sensory feedback

Movement disorders

Facial palsy

Cerebrovascular deseases involving the internal capsule may disrupt fibres descending from the cortex to the motor facial nucleus. If the internal capsule is injured on one side, functions of muscles of the upper face are not altered, but mimetic muscles around the mouth will be paralyzed. As the latter muscles receive descending fibres only from the contralateral cortex, symptomes appear contralateral to the injury. (Central facial palsy)

If the facial nerve is injured, all the mimetic muscles are paralyzed on the side of damage. (Periferal facial palsy)

Parkinsons desease

Cardinal symptomes: tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement and postural instability. Idiopathic (having no known cause). Dopamine production of neurons within the substantia nigra is impaired, so there is lack of dopamine in the striatum. Medical treatment: levodopa - precursor of dopamine, passes the blood-brain barrier and transforms into dopamine (and many-many other pills not mentioned now)

dopaminergic

GABAergic

People with parkinsonism who have enhanced the public's awareness include Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali.