Spinal Tracts

Question 1

Lateral Reticulospinal

Answer 1

• from medulla
• inhibits voluntary movements
• decreases tone

Question 2

Medial Reticulospinal

Answer 2

• from pons
• facilitates voluntary movements
• increases tone

Question 3

Lateral Corticospinal

Answer 3

• from cerebral cortex
• 85% of fibres
• terminates ventral horn all levels
• precise movements hands and feet

Question 4

Anterior Corticospinal

Answer 4

• from cerebral cortex
• 15% of fibres
• do not decussate until SC
• terminate ventral horn cervical and upper thoracic
• trunk and proximal limbs

Question 5

Vestibulospinal

Answer 5

• medial and lateral pathways
• from vestibular nuclei
• remains ipsilateral
• balance and posture
• via flexors of arm and extensors of leg

Question 6

Rubrospinal

Answer 6

• from red nucleus midbrain
• decussates at midbrain
• fine control hand movements

Question 7

Tectospinal

Answer 7

• from superior colliculus in midbrain (input optic n)
• decussates at midbrain
• terminates cervical
• movements of head in relation to visual stimuli

Question 8

Corticobulbar

Answer 8

• from lateral aspect of primary motor cortex
• inputs from primary motor cortex, premotor area, supplementary motor area
• pass through internal capsule to brainstem
• terminate on motor nuclei of cranial nerves and synapse with LMN
• innervate MN bilaterally

Question 9

Corticospinal

Answer 9

• from cerebral cortex
• input from primary motor cortex, premotor area, supplementary motor area
• also input from somatosensory area
• pass through internal capsule (capsular stroke)
• pass through crus cerebri, pons, medulla
• divides into lateral and anterior

Question 10

Pyramidal

Answer 10

• corticospinal and bulbar
• originate in cerebral cortex
• pass through medullary pyramids of medulla oblongata
• VOLUNTARY CONTROL of muscles in body, head+neck

Question 11

Extrapyramidal

Answer 11

• Originate in brainstem
• INVOLUNTARY AND AUTOMATIC CONTROL of tone, balance and posture
• vestibulospinal and reticulospinal (lat and medial) do not decussate
• rubrospinal and tectospinal decussate

Question 12

Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscal (DCML)

Answer 12

• touch, vibration, proprioception
• conscious
• terminates in medial lemniscus brainstem
• upper limb goes to cuneate nucleus
• lower limb goes to gracile nucleus

Question 13

Posterior Spinocerebellar

Answer 13

• unconscious

- proprioceptive info from lower limbs to cerebellum

Question 14

Anterior Spinocerebellar

Answer 14

• unconscious
• proprioceptive info from lower limbs to cerebellum
• fibres decussate twice

Question 15

Lateral Spinothalamic

Answer 15

• pain, temperature
• conscious
• splits into lateral and anterior from the substantial gelatinosa in dorsal horn
• goes from ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus, through internal capsule to sensory cortex

Question 16

Anterior Spinothalamic

Answer 16

• crude touch, pressure, ITCH (c fibres)

- conscious