Neuroscience Analysis of Occupational Performance (OCTH 455)
and
Neuroscience (PTRS 850)
Motor Systems practice questions

Review my collection of videoclips illustrating aspects of motor function & dysfunction.

You should work through the following questions, then study their answers as part of your review.

These are practice questions for our Motor Systems material. You should try to answer these questions fully, then explain your answer to another student. There may be a number of possible ways you may choose to answer the question. Please make an attempt to answer these problems before you peek at the answers I've supplied!

Analyze the behavioral symptoms to determine the neurological correlates of these individual's complaints. Identify the site of each lesion - be as specific as possible. What clinical tests or observations would be appropriate? If you choose to include a diagram in your answer, identify only the relevant structures (not ALL the structures). Provide details of how you reached each of your answers.

1. Diagram the primary circuitry which is responsible for initiation of motor behavior.

   When you think you have completed the answer, read this.

2. Give a behavioral example, with a neurological explanation, of the release phenomenon in relation to a) the basal ganglia, b) cerebellum, and c) somatic motor system.

   When you think you have completed the answer, read this.

3. Name the three functional groups of motor output (exit) circuitry. Then describe the primary task completed by each functional group.

   When you think you have completed the answer, read this.

4. Mr. Goldberg is your most recent client, and you have been discussing his case at the rehabilitation team meeting. One therapist reports that Mr. Goldberg is having trouble eating and dressing himself. Mr. Goldberg knocks things off the lunchtray when reaching for them, and when dressing his movements seem to be separate actions - they don't flow together smoothly. He then becomes frustrated that he can not dress as quickly as usual. Diagram the motor pathways which might be involved in the normal performance of tasks such as these, and indicate where the problems which produce the behavioral impairment might be.

   When you think you have completed the answer, read this.