How does motor information from the basal ganglia reach spinal lower motor neurons?
A. Neurons in the basal ganglia that have axonal connections directly to spinal lower motor neurons.
B. Neural connections with the cerebellum.
C. Output to the thalamus and pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), which synapse with cortical and brainstem motor neurons that project to the spinal lower motor neurons.
D. Direct connections from the striatum to lower motor neurons.
E. Neurons from the subthalamic nucleus directly synapse with spinal lower motor neurons.
ANS: C
Rationale: The motor output from the basal ganglia inhibits three structures: pedunculopontine nucleus, the midbrain locomotor region, and motor areas of the thalamus. Neurons from these three structures project to the reticulospinal tracts and motor areas of the cerebral cortex. So motor information from the basal ganglia reaches lower motor neurons via multisynaptic routes involving corticospinal and reticulospinal tracts and stepping pattern generators. There are no direct connections from the basal ganglia to spinal lower motor neurons. A direct connection would be a neuron that directly synapses with the lower motor neuron. Corticospinal neurons have direct connections with lower motor neurons.
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