ASCENDING & DESCENDING TRACTS

DR. ANEELA JAMIL

SPINAL CORD TRACTS

Sensory information (receptors) -> Brain by means of ascending tracts of fibres that conduct impulses up the spinal cord. Brain(motor activities in the form of nerve impulses) -> Spinal cord by means of descending tracts of fibres that travel down the spinal cord.

Tracts
bundles of axons in the white column

Ascending tracts
carry information to brain

Descending tracts
carry motor commands to spinal cord

SENSORY FIRST-ORDER NEURON

For all sensory pathways, the cell body of a firstorder sensory neuron is located in dorsal root ganglion or cranial nerve ganglion

SECOND-ORDER NEURON
May be located in the spinal cord or brain stem

THIRD-ORDER NEURON
Located in the thalamus

ASCENDING TRACTS
Carry sensory information from the periphery to the spinal cord and up to the brain. Pathway consists of 1. receptor cell -> spinal cord (or brain stem) 2. spinal cord cell -> thalamus 3. thalamus -> primary sensory cortex

Figure 154

ASCENDING TRACTS

Dorsal column system Anterolateral column system

POSTERIOR WHITE COLUMN PATHWAY

Modalities Pressure,propioception,vibration Ist order neuron Dorsal root ganglion 2nd order neuron Medulla oblongata Medial Leminiscus 3rd order neuron Thalamus Termination Postcentral gyrus

MEDIAL LEMINISCAL PATHWAY

Ipsilateral loss of sensations below the level of lesion

SPINOTHALAMIC TRACT
Modalities Pain,temperature,itch,sexual sensations, crude touch Ist order neuron Dorsal root ganglion 2nd order neuron Dorsal horn of spinal cord 3rd order neuron Thalamus Termination Postcentral gyrus

SPINOTHALAMIC TRACT

Contralateral loss of sensations below the level of lesion

MOTOR PATHWAYS

Pyramidal Tract Extrapyramidal tract

UMNL
Type of Paralysis Atrophy Reflexes Clonus Fasciculations Tone Spastic No Atrophy Hyperreflexia Present Absent Hypertonia

LMNL
Flaccid Severe Hyporeflexia Absent Present Hypotonia

CORTICOSPINAL TRACT
Also called pyramidal tract Provides voluntary control over skeletal muscles

CORTICOSPINAL TRACT

EXTRAPYRAMIDAL MOTOR PATHWAYS

Reticulospinal tract Vestibulospinal tract Tectospinal tract Olivospinal tract Rubrospinal tract

SPINAL CORD TRAUMA PARALYSIS

Paralysis loss of motor function Flaccid paralysis Spastic paralysis Flaccid paralysis damage to Lower motor neurons Spastic paralysis damage to Upper motor neurons

 Paraplegia - transection between T1 and L1, paralysis of lower limbs Quadriplegia - transection in the cervical region, paralysis of all limbs Monoplegia - paralysis of only one limb Hemiplegia paralysis of one half of the body(left/right).

BROWN-SEQUARD SYNDROME (SPINAL CORD HEMISECTION)

Major Symptoms

1. ipsilateral loss of motor activity 2. ipsilateral loss of Dorsal column sensations below the level of lesion 3. contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensations below the level of lesion