Circuitr

y
Dr. Bidita Bhattacharya
Head, Dept. of Clinical Psychology
IOP, Kolkata
Definition:

Network of interconnected neurons in the

nervous system and especially the brain

The neuronal pathways of the brain along

which electrical and chemical signals
travel
Forewords:
⦔ The circuits form as a result of several
developmental processes.

⧓ The growth of an axon along distinct

pathways is guided by cues from its
env.

⦔Leads to the formation of synapses with

specific target neurons.
Principles:
In some cases, the axons arising
Many, but not from one region may directly
1 all, connections innervate the reciprocating
between brain projection neurons in another
regions are region.
reciprocal In another cases, local circuit
interneurons are interposed
between the incoming axons & the
projection neurons that furnish the
reciprocal connections.

2 Connections among regions may be organized in a

hierarchical or parallel fashion, or both.
Principles contd…
3 Many neuronal connections are either divergent or
convergent in nature.

Conduct of information
Output of multiple brain from one neuron or a
region may be directed discrete group of neurons
toward a single area to a much larger number
of neurons that may be
located in diverse portions
of the brain
Principles contd…
4 Regions of the brain is specialized for different
function.

Facts:
Ø Expansion and differentiation of the human brain
are associated with substantial differences in the
organization of certain elements of neural circuitry.

Ø There are limits to the accuracy of generalizations

made concerning human brain function.
Frontal-Subcortical Circuit…
Motor Circuit
Originating
supplementary motor
area Oculomotor Circuit
Origins in frontal eye
field

Circuits
(5) DLPFC

Anterior cingulate Lateral orbital cortex

cortex
Frontal-Subcortical Circuit…
Strital Structures
(Caudate, Putamen, Ventral
striatum)

Globus Pallidus
Frontal
Lobe
Substatia Nigra

Thalamic nuclei
Frontal-Subcortical Circuit…
Direct pathway

Globus Pallidus Substatia Nigra

Striatum
interna complex

Indirect pathway

Striatum Globus Pallidus Subthalamic

interna nuclei

Globus Pallidus
Substatia Nigra interna
DLPF Circuit:
Projects primarily to the dorsolateral head
of the caudate nucleous

Caudate region connects to the

dorsomedial globus pallidus interna &
rostral substantia nigra (through direct
pathway)
Executive Function
DLPF Circuit:
Through the globus pallidus
externa to subthalamic nuclei

globus pallidus interna &

substantia nigra (through indirect
pathway)

Pallidal & niagral neurones -

project to the ventral anterior &
medial dorsal thalamic nuclei

Connect to the DLPF region

DLPF Circuit:
Globas pallidus interna

Di
(mediodorsal portion)

re
ct
Pa
th
Substantia nigra pars

wa
y
reticulata (rostrolateral
portion)
DLPF Circuit:
When caudate receives excitatory

Di
inputs from DLPFC

re
ct
Pa
Sends inhibitory input into the

th
wa
direct pathway

y
Effect of this is reciprocal
disinhibition of the thalamus

Therefore perpetuation of this

activity is this circuit
DLPF Circuit:

In
di
re
ct
Pa
th
wa
y
Activity of the
direct pathway is
balanced by the
activity of the
indirect pathway
Lateral OrbitofrontalCircuit:
Begins in inferolateral prefrontal Social Intelligence
cortex & projects ventromedial
caudate nucleus

Caudate regions project via direct

pathway to the dorsomedial
pallidum & the rostromedial
substantia nigra (medial to the
area receiving projections from
the dorsolateral caudate)
Lateral OrbitofrontalCircuit:
Indirect pathway

Globus pallidus externa & subthalamic

nucleus receiving connections from
caudate

Projecting to

Globus pallidus interna/ substatia nigra

Thalamic nuclei

Orbitofrontal cortex
Lateral OrbitofrontalCircuit:
Anterior Cingulate Circuit:
Motivation & the
conscious experience of
emotion
Anterior Cingulate Circuit:
Begins – anterior
cingulate gyrus

Projects – ventral
striatum
(caudate+putamen)
Basal Ganglia pathway
Motor Circuit

Originates –
supplementary motor
area, premotor cortex,
motor cortex, &
somatosensory cortex

Projects – putamen in a
somatotopic distribution

Putamen projects –
ventrolateral globus
pallidus (GP) interna, GP
externa, & caudolateral
substatia nigra
Motor Circuit
Gp

Thalamas

Supplementary motor
area

Premotor cortex

Motor cortex

Thalamic nuclei have

reciprocal connections
with the putamen &
cerebral cortex
Motor Circuit

Ø Through out the circuit the discrete somatotropic

organization of movement-related neurons is
maintained.

Ø Information processing in the circuit is not

strictly sequential

Ø Preparatory pre movement activity, serial

processing of movements initiated in the cortex
& concurrent parallel processing in the
structures of the circuit.
Oculomotor Circuit

Ø Originates – frontal eye field, prefrontal & posterior

parietal cortex
Ø Connects – central body of the caudate nucleus

Dorsomedial globus pallidus

Ventrolateral substatia nigra

Ventral anterior & medial dorsal thalamic nuclei

Frontal eye fields

 https://youtu.be/P-dJofXrf4Y?t=337

Thank
You
 https://youtu.be/P-dJofXrf4Y?t=337

Thank
You
Major divisions
Thalamocortical System

ØLargest portion of the

diencephalan

Ø A group of nuclei
located medial to the
basal ganglia

Ø Serves as the major synaptic relay station

for the information reaching the cerebral
cortex.
Thalamocortical System
ØCan be divided into 6 groups
Anterior Midline
Medial
Lateral Intralaminar
Reticular

Ø can also be classified into several groups

based on the pattern & information content
of their connections.
Thalamocortical System
ØRelay nuclei : - project to & receive input from specific
regions of the cerebral cortex.

• These reciprocal connections apparently allow the

cerebral cortex to modulate the thalamic input it
receives.
Ø Specific relay nuclei : - input either from a single
sensory modality or from a distinct part of the motor
system.

Ø Association relay nuclei : - receive highly processed

input from more than one source & project to larger
areas of the association cortex.
Thalamocortical System
Ø Diffuse-Projection nuclei : - receive input from diverse
sources & project to widespread areas of the cerebral
cortex & to the thalamus.

• divergent nature – involved in regulating the level of

cortical excitability& arousal.

Ø Reticular nucleus : - unique – contains inhibitory

neurons that receive input from collaterals of the axons
that reciprocally connect other thalamic nuclei & the
cerebral cortex.
Thalamocortical Sensory
System
Ø General Principles:

1. Sensory receptors transduce certain stimuli in

the external env. to neural impulses.

2. Projections from peripheral sensory

receptors to the thalamus & the cortex
exhibit topography;
i.e., a particular portion of the external world is
mapped on to a particular region of the
brain.
Thalamocortical Sensory
System
Ø General Principles:

3. In some cases, sensory inputs travel to the

thalamus in a segrigated manner according to
the submodality of the information conveyed.

4. Primary sensory areas process sensory

information and then project to unimodal
association areas.
Thalamocortical Motor System

Ø General Principles: - exhibit some unique

organizational principles
1. Motor systems descend from association & motor
regions of the cortex to the brain stem & the spinal
cord.
2. Motor systems exhibit strong topography at both
the thalamic & cortical levels.
3. There is a convergence of the projections from
several sensory association regions to the
motor regions to the motor regions of the
frontal cortex.
Thalamocortical Association
System
Ø General Principles: - ( it is a multimodal
association areas of the cortex – organized
axccording to some principles)
1. It receive a convergence of input from a variety of
sources, including unimodal & multimodal association
regions of the cortex , association nuclei of the thalamus
& other structures.

2. The projections that terminate in multimodal

association regions exhibit a topographical
organization.
Cerebello –Thalamocortical
System
ØCerebellum - involved solely with
motor control, regulating posture,
gait, and voluntary movement

ØRecent studies – mediation of certain cognitive

abilitites through inputs to portions of the thalamus –
that project to association regions of the cerebral cortex.

Cerebellar cortex can be considered to process the

inputs to the cerebellum, & the deep nuclei to
process the outputs.
Cerebello –Thalamocortical
System

ØMany portions are

interconnected with brain regions
that regulate motor actions,

ØCognitive func. From the stand

point of mental illness.
Basal Ganglia

ØCollection of nuclei that have

been grouped together on the
basis of their interconnections.

Ø MOVEMENT –
üCertain disorders of movement –
dyskinesia
üWrithing movement – athetosis
üRhythmic movement - tremors

ØCognitive functions – recent studies say

Basal Ganglia

Globus Pallidus Caudate nucleus Putamen

Striatum

Substantia nigra
Subthalamic
nucleus
Thank
You