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PA 629 Anatomy > 6/19/2025 Spinal Cord Pathways > Flashcards

6/19/2025 Spinal Cord Pathways Flashcards

(65 cards)

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1
Q

Do reflexes require the brain for processing reactions to stimuli?

A

No, just involves the spinal cord!

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2
Q

Does conduction require the brain for processing reactions to stimuli?

A

Yes. Involves ascending and descending tracts.

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3
Q

Spinal cord fxns

A

Innervation of neck, trunk, and limbs

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4
Q

In what part of the spinal cord are the ascending and descending tracts located?

A

White matter

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5
Q

True or False: There will be lateral horns (gray matter) in all sections of the spinal cord.

A

False, only on T1-L2 and S2-S4

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6
Q

What makes up the nuclei in the gray matter of the spinal cord?

A

Clusters of cell bodies

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7
Q

Where are pain and temperature sensory receptors located in/on the skin?

A

The epidermis

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8
Q

Where are crude touch and vibration receptors located in/on the skin?

A

The dermis

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9
Q

Where are fine/discriminative touch sensory receptors located in/on the skin?

A

The epidermis

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10
Q

What is the sense that allows us to perceive the position and movement of our body parts in space without relying on vision?

A

Proprioception

Muscle and joint information!!

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11
Q

True or False: proprioception may be conscious or unconscious

A

True

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12
Q

What is an example of conscious proprioception?

A

Closing your eyes and touching your finger to your nose

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13
Q

What is an example of unconscious proprioception?

A

The brain working to bring the finger to the nose (this is a smooth body movement you are not unconsciously aware of)

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14
Q

Where in the body are proprioceptors located?

A

Muscles, tendons, joints

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15
Q

Where does the ascending tract carry sensation to?

A

The brain

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16
Q

Where does the descending tract carry the motor plan from?

A

The brain

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17
Q

What type of neuron carries information to the brain from the spinal cord?

A

Intereuron

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18
Q

What type of neuron carries sensory information to the spinal cord?

A

Sensory neuron

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19
Q

What type of neuron carries information from the spinal cord to the body?

A

Motor neuron

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20
Q

What are the spinal cord tracts made up of?

A

Bundles of axons

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21
Q

What are the 3 ascending tracts (sensory input)?

A

Doral Columns Tract
Spinothalamic Tract
Dorsal Spinocerebellar Tract

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22
Q

What is the one descending tract (motor output)?

A

Lateral Corticospinal Tract

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23
Q

In what part of the brain is conscious proprioception processed?

A

Somatosensory cortex

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24
Q

In what part of the brain is unconscious proprioception processed?

A

Cerebellum (somatomotor cortex)

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25
What kind of sensory information does the dorsal column tracts carry?
Fine touch, vibration, conscious proprioception (2 pt discrimination, graphesthesia, sterognosis)
26
How many neurons are involved in the dorsal columns tract?
3 neuron pathway (1st, 2nd, and 3rd order neurons)
27
Where does the dorsal columns tract terminate?
On the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex
28
Where is the 1st order neuron located for ALL ascending tracts?
Dorsal root ganglion (somatosensory)
29
Where does the first order neuron axon ascend?
Fasciculus Cuneatus (C2-T6) Fasciculus Gracilis (T7-S5)
30
Where is the first synapse (2nd order neuron) located in the dorsal columns tract?
The medulla (brainstem)
31
What are the 2 types of second order cell bodies in the dorsal columns tract?
Nucleus Cuneatus Nucleus Gracilis
32
Where does the dorsal columns tract decussate?
At the 2nd order neuron in the medulla
33
Where is the 3rd order neuron of the dorsal columns tract located?
In the thalamus
34
There does the 3rd order neuron synapse in the dorsal columns tract?
The primary somatosensory cortex!!!!!!!
35
How do the different axons ascend in the spinal cord in the dorsal columns tract?
The lower the axon, the more medial the location in the spinal cord (sacral is medial and dorsal, cervical lateral and dorsal)
36
What does it mean if a tract is contralateral?
Information is on the opposite side of the body as the sensory receptor
37
What does it mean if a tract is ipsilateral?
Information is on the same side of the body as the sensory receptor
38
What kind of sensory information is carried on the spinothalamic tract?
Pain and temp (lateral) Crude touch (anterior)
39
How many neurons are in the spinothalamic tract?
3 neuron pathway (1st, 2nd, 3rd order)
40
Where does the spinothalamic tract terminate?
Contralateral primary somatosensory cortex
41
Where is the 1st order neuron located in the spinothalamic tract?
In the dorsal root ganglion. The axons end in the ipsilateral dorsal horn
42
Where is the 2nd order neuron located in the spinothalamic tract?
In the ipsilateral dorsal horn. This axon then decussates in the spinal cord and ascends in tract to the thalamus
43
Where is the 3rd order neuron located in the spinothalamic tract?
In the thalamus
44
What is the somatotopic arrangement in the spinothalamic tract?
Higher level tracts are more medial (cervical axons are towards the middle of the spinal cord, while lumbar are more lateral)
45
What tract is associated with referred pain?
Spinothalamic tract
46
Explain referred pain
1st order neurons from viscera/organs and first order neurons from the skin synapse on the same 2nd order neurons in the pain pathway. The brain thus confuses pain from organ with pain from skin
47
Why is the dorsal spinocerebellar tract associated with unconscious proprioception?
There is communication to the cerebellum (does not ascend to the primary somatosensory cortex...terminates in the ipsilateral cerebellum)
48
What can damage to the cerebellum lead to?
Dysmetria (the inability to control the distance, speed, and ROM necessary to perform smoothly coordinated movement)
49
How many neurons are in the dorsal spinocerebellar tract?
2 neuron pathway (1st and 2nd order neurons)
50
Where is the 1st order neuron located in the dorsal spinocerebellar tract?
In the dorsal root ganglion (axon travels to the ipsilateral dorsal horn...NO CROSSING OVER)
51
Where is the 2nd order neuron located in the dorsal spinocerebellar tract?
In the dorsal horn (Clark's column)
52
Dorsal spinocerebellar tract somatotopic arrangement
Higher levels are more dorsal
53
True or False: The descending tract is a reflex
False. It is a planned motor response to sensory input
54
Where does the descending tract carry motor output from?
The primary somatomotor cortex to muscles (corticospinal=voluntary skeletal muscle movement in limbs)
55
Where does the lateral corticospinal tract begin?
Primary somatomotor cortex
56
How many neurons are in the lateral corticospinal tract?
2 neuron pathway (UMN, LMN)
57
Where are UMN located?
Motor cortex
58
Where are LMN located?
Ventral horns of spinal cords (this is where the somatomotor neurons are located...DUH)!
59
Where does the lateral corticospinal tract terminate?
At the neuromuscular junctions in the skeletal muscle
60
What is pyramidal decussation?
When the axon of the lateral corticospinal tract descends and crosses over in the medullar pyramids...then travels in contralateral tract
61
Where does the axon of the LMN exit?
Through the ventral root --> spinal nerve --> dorsal and ventral ramus
62
Somatotopic arrangement of the lateral corticospinal tract
Ventral horn
63
Where do LMN receive input from?
Interneurons for reflex, and UMN for coordinated movement
64
Symptoms of ventral horn/LMN damage
Hyporeflexia or areflexia Weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscle
65
Symptoms of damage to somatomotor cortex/UMN
Intact reflexes, but loss of inhibitory signals from UMN: hyperreflexia, spasticity (clonus)

PA 629 Anatomy (7 decks)

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