28 Questions
Where are the cell bodies located for the axons that carry up the spinal cord within the Fasciculus Gracilis?
Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG)
Which part of the body has the most lateral axons in the spinal cord according to somatotopic arrangement?
Sacral spine
Where do the axons carrying sharp, well-localized pain and temperature sensations synapse?
Ventral Posterior Lateral nucleus of thalamus
Which tract crosses in the Dorsal Medulla/tegmentum of the caudal medulla?
DCML
Which tract primarily stimulates flexors and inhibits extensors?
Medullary reticulospinal tract
Which tract facilitates axial and limb extensors and inhibits flexors?
Pontine reticulospinal tract
Which tract descends uncrossed and affects antigravity muscles?
Lateral vestibulospinal tract
Which tract maintains head position in response to vestibular nuclei?
Medial vestibulospinal tract
Which tract is associated with reflexive head movements in response to visual or auditory stimuli?
Tectospinal tract
Which tract facilitates flexor motor neurons and inhibits extensor motor neurons?
Rubrospinal tract
Where do upper motor neuron fibers stimulate the interneurons that inhibit motor neurons?
Internal capsule
Where does 85 to 90% of the corticospinal tract cross at?
Pyramidal decussation
Which tract descends in the same way as the corticospinal tract and synapses on different nuclei for voluntary movement of muscles in the head/neck?
Corticobulbar tract
Which tract starts from stimulation from the cortex and cerebellum to the red nucleus and descends down the cord to end in the upper cervical cord?
Rubrospinal tract
Which tract will be associated with the Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus and reflexes?
Tectospinal tract
Where do the fibers of the lateral vestibulospinal tract terminate?
Ventral white commissure
Which spinal cord tract carries fast, precise pain signals via Alpha delta fibers?
Neospinalthalamic tract
Which tract is responsible for carrying achy pain signals?
Paleospinalthalamic Tract
Which tract contributes to pain modulation and reflexes for visual, auditory, and cutaneous stimuli?
Spinomesencephalic Tract
Which tract arouses the cortex to maintain consciousness and alertness in response to dull or achy pain?
Spinal Reticular Tract
Which tract carries unconscious proprioception and does not cross?
Dorsalspinocerebellar Tract
Which tract carries unconscious proprioception and crosses twice, ending in the cerebellum?
Ventralspinocerebellar Tract
Which tract carries unconscious proprioception from the upper extremity and does not cross?
Cuneorspinocerebellar Tract
Which tract carries unconscious proprioception to the cerebellum and crosses in the ventral white commissure?
Spino-olivary Tract
Which tract carries information from the inferior olivary nucleus to the cerebellum?
Olivocerebellar Tract
Which tract is responsible for voluntary skeletal movement and crosses at the pyramidal decussation?
Corticospinal Tract
What happens if lesions occur above the pyramidal decussation?
Contralateral loss
What happens if lesions occur below the pyramidal decussation?
Ipsilateral loss
Study Notes
Overview of Spinal Cord Tracts
- Neospinalthalamic tract synapses in Lamina 1 or Lamina 5 and ascends to the Thalamus, via Lissauer’s Tract.
- The tract is somatotopically arranged, carrying fast, precise pain signals via Alpha delta fibers.
- The Paleospinalthalamic Tract, part of the ALS, is slower and carries achy pain signals.
- The Spinomesencephalic Tract contributes to pain modulation and reflexes for visual, auditory, and cutaneous stimuli.
- The Spinal Reticular Tract arouses the cortex to maintain consciousness and alertness in response to dull or achy pain.
- The Dorsalspinocerebellar Tract carries unconscious proprioception and does not cross.
- The Ventralspinocerebellar Tract carries unconscious proprioception and crosses twice, ending in the cerebellum.
- The Cuneorspinocerebellar Tract carries unconscious proprioception from the upper extremity and does not cross.
- The Spino-olivary Tract carries unconscious proprioception to the cerebellum and crosses in the ventral white commissure.
- The Olivocerebellar Tract carries information from the inferior olivary nucleus to the cerebellum.
- The Corticospinal Tract is responsible for voluntary skeletal movement and crosses at the pyramidal decussation.
- Lesions above the decussation result in contralateral loss, while lesions below cause ipsilateral loss, with associated upper motor neuron signs.
Test your knowledge of spinal cord tracts with this quiz. Explore the functions and pathways of various tracts, including neospinalthalamic, paleospinalthalamic, spinomesencephalic, and more. Learn about pain modulation, reflexes, consciousness, proprioception, and voluntary movement.
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