Spinal tracts

Question 1

Fasciculus cuneatus

Answer 1

Ascending; Trunk, neck, and upper extremity proprioception, vibration, 2 point discrimination, graphesthesia

Question 2

Fasciculus gracilis

Answer 2

Ascending; Trunk, lower extremity proprioception, 2 point discrimination, vibration, graphesthesia

Question 3

Dorsal spinocerebellar

Answer 3

Ascending; Ipsilateral subconscious proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, posture of trunk and lower extremities

Question 4

Ventral spinocerebellar

Answer 4

Ascending; Ipsilateral subconscious proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, posture of trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities

Question 5

Spino-olivary

Answer 5

Ascending; Relays information from cutaneous and proprioceptive organs

Question 6

Spinoreticular

Answer 6

Ascending; Influences level of consciousness

Question 7

Spinotectal

Answer 7

Ascending; Spinovisual reflexes, assists with movement of eyes/head towards a stimulus

Question 8

Anterior spinothalamic

Answer 8

Ascending; Light touch, pressure

Question 9

Lateral spinothalamic

Answer 9

Ascending; Pain, temperature

Question 10

Anterior corticospinal

Answer 10

Descending; Pyramidal motor tract - ipsilateral voluntary, discrete, skilled movement

Question 11

Lateral corticospinal

Answer 11

Descending; Pyramidal motor tract - contralateral fine movement

Question 12

Reticulospinal

Answer 12

Descending; Extrapyramidal motor tract - facilitation or inhibition of voluntary and reflex activity (influences alpha/gamma motor neurons)

Question 13

Rubrospinal

Answer 13

Descending; Extrapyramidal motor tract - gross postural tone, facilitates activity of flexors, inhibits extensors

Question 14

Tectospinal

Answer 14

Descending; Extrapyramidal motor tract - contralateral postural muscle tone, associated with auditory/visual stimuli

Question 15

Vestibulospinal

Answer 15

Descending; Extrapyramidal motor tract - ipsilateral gross postural adjustments (subsequent to head movements), faciliate extensors, inhibit flexors

Question 16

Damage to pyramidal motor tracts

Answer 16

Damage to corticospinal tracts results in +Babinski sign, absent superficial abdominal reflexes, and cremasteric reflex, loss of fine motor or skilled voluntary movement

Question 17

Damage to extrapyramidal motor tracts

Answer 17

Damage to extrapyramidal tracts results in significant paralysis, hypertonicity, exaggerated DTRs, and clasp-knife reaction