Spinal Cord Tracts Flashcards
(24 cards)
Define a reflex
Inherent subconscious - relatively consistent response to a particular stimulus
What is a myotonic reflex
Muscle stretch
Name a reflex that doesn’t have interneurons present
Patellar reflex
What is a withdrawal reflex
Check limb flexes - chick sciatic nerve
(Pinch digit and leg will retract)
Where are upper motor neurone found
Only in the central nervous system
Where are lower motor neutrons found
Cell bodies in the CNS
Axons project to Peripheral NS
What are the functional differences between upper and lower motor neutrons
Upper control the response
Lower induce the response
What is an ascending pathway
Information going to the brain
What is a descending pathway
Information travels from brain to spinal cord
Describe the Spinothalamic Pathway
- Primary afferent neutrons in the ascending pathway
- signal transmitted from 1 afferent axons in spinal ganglion to spinal cord Dorsal Horn
- projection neutrons are found in the Marginal Nucleus and nucleus proprius of dorsal horn
- second order neurons cross the midline and join axons to form the spinothalamic tract (for pain sensation)
- tract reached thalamus
What are 1st order neurons
Spinal ganglion
What are 2nd order neurons in the spinocervicothalamic tract
Marginal nucleus/ nucleus proprius
How are descending pathways divided
Into dorsolateral and ventromedial
What are spinal cord funiculus
Bundles of nerve fibres
Which motor system innervates the distal limb muscles
Dorsolateral
Which motor system innervates the proximal limb and axial skeleton
Ventromedial
What are tracts
Bundles of functionally related axons found in the white matter
Which tract carries pain information
Spinothalamic tract
What is the red nucleus and what tract leaves it
Structure in the brainstem for voluntary motor function
Rubrospinal tract
What is the reticular formation and what tract comes off of it
Region of the brainstem that controls the heart and posture
Reticulospinal
What is the Rostral colliculus and what tract comes off of it
Coordinates eye and head movements
Tectospinal tract
What is the vestibular nuclei and what tract comes off of it
Maintains headposition
Vestibulospinal
What tracts controls involuntary movements and posture
Extrapyramidal
(Rubrospinal, reticulospinal, tectospinal, vestibulospinal)
What are pyramidal motor system tracts
Corticospinal - for voluntary fine motor
