Corticospinal tract |
Deep dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view. ("pyramidal tract" visible in red, and "pyramidal decussation" labeled at lower right.)
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Spinal cord tracts, with pyramidal tracts labeled at upper left
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Details |
Latin |
tractus corticospinalis |
Identifiers |
Gray's |
p.759 |
MeSH |
A08.186.854.633 |
NeuroNames |
ancil-373 |
NeuroLex ID |
Pyramidal tract |
TA |
A14.1.04.102 |
FMA |
72634 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
The pyramidal tracts (pyramides)[citation needed] include both the corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts. These are aggregations of upper motor neuron nerve fibres that travel from the cerebral cortex and terminate either in the brainstem (corticobulbar) or spinal cord (corticospinal) and are involved in control of motor functions of the body.
The corticobulbar tract conducts impulses from the brain to the cranial nerves.[1] These nerves control the muscles of the face and neck and are involved in facial expression, mastication, swallowing, and other functions.
The corticospinal tract conducts impulses from the brain to the spinal cord. It is made up of a lateral and anterior tract. The corticospinal tract is involved in voluntary movement. The majority fibres of the corticospinal tract cross over in the medulla, resulting in muscles being controlled by the opposite side of the brain. The corticospinal tract also contains Betz cells (the largest pyramidal cells), which are not found in any other region of the body.
The pyramidal tracts are named because they pass through the pyramids of the medulla.
The myelination of the pyramidal fibres is incomplete at birth and gradually progresses in caudo-cranial direction and thereby progressively gaining functionality. Most of the myelination is complete by two years of age and thereafter it progresses very slowly in cranio-caudal direction up to twelve years of age.
Contents
- 1 Structure
- 1.1 Corticospinal tract
- 1.2 Corticobulbar tract
- 2 Function
- 3 Clinical significance
- 4 Additional images
- 5 References
- 6 External links
Structure
The term pyramidal tracts refers to upper motor neurons that originate in the cerebral cortex and terminate in the spinal cord (corticospinal) or brainstem (corticobulbar). Nerves emerge in the cerebral cortex, pass down and may cross sides in the medulla, and travel as part of the spinal cord until they synapse with interneurons in the middle part of the spinal cord, known as grey matter.[2]
There is some variation in terminology. The pyramidal tracts definitively encompass the corticospinal tracts. Many, but not all authors also consider the tracts to include the corticobulbar tracts.[3]
Corticospinal tract
Nerve fibres in the corticospinal tract originate from pyramidal cells in layer V of the cerebral cortex. Fibres arise from the primary motor cortex (about 30%), supplementary motor area and the premotor cortex (together also about 30%), and the somatosensory cortex, parietal lobe, and cingulate gyrus supplies the rest.[2] The cells have their bodies in the cerebral cortex, and the axons form the bulk of the pyramidal tracts.[4] The nerve axons travel from the cortex through the posterior limb of internal capsule, through the cerebral peduncle and into the brainstem and anterior medulla. Here they form two prominences called the pyramids of the medulla. Below the prominences, the majority of axons cross over to the opposite side from which they originated. The axons that cross over move to the outer part of the medulla and form the lateral corticospinal tract, whereas the fibres that remain form the anterior corticospinal tract[2] About 80% of axons cross over and form the lateral corticospinal tract; 10% do not cross over and join the tract, and 10% of fibres travel in the anterior corticospinal tract.[citation needed]
The nerve axons traveling down the tract are referred to as upper motor neurons. These axons travel down the tracts in the white matter of the spinal cord until they reach the vertebral level of the muscle that they will innervate.[5] At this point, the axons synapse with lower motor neurons. The majority of axons do not directly synapse with lower motor neurons, but instead synapse with an interneuron that then synapses with a lower motor neuron. This generally occurs in the anterior horn of the spinal cord.[2] Nerve axons of the lateral corticospinal tract that did not cross over in the medulla do so at the level of the spinal cord they terminate in.[6]
These tracts contain more than 1 million axons and the majority of the axons are myelinated. The corticospinal tracts myelinate largely during the first and second years after birth. The majority of nerve axons are small (<4μm) in diameter. About 3% of nerve axons have a much larger diameter (16μm) and arise from Betz cells, mostly in the leg area of the primary motor cortex. These cells are notable because of their rapid conduction rate, over 70m/sec, the fastest conduction of any signals from the brain to the spinal cord.[2]
Horizontal section through the lower part of the pons, showing the fibers of the corticospinal tract (#19) passing through the pontine nuclei
Corticobulbar tract
Further information: Corticobulbar tract
Fibres from the ventral motor cortex travel with the corticospinal tract through the internal capsule, but terminate in a number of locations in the midbrain (cortico-mesencephalic tract), pons (Corticopontine tract), and medulla oblongata (cortico-bulbar tract).[6] The upper motor neurons of the corticobulbar tract synapse with interneurons or directly with the lower motor neurons located in the motor cranial nerve nuclei, namely oculomotor, trochlear, motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, abducens, facial nerve and accessory and in the nucleus ambiguus to the hypoglossal, vagus and accessory nerves.[6] These nuclei are supplied by nerves from both sides of the brain, with the exception of the parts of the facial nerve that control muscles of the lower face. These muscles are only innervated by nerves from the contralateral (opposite) side of the cortex.[6]
Function
The nerves within the corticospinal tract are involved in movement of muscles of the body. Because of the crossing-over of fibres, muscles are supplied by the side of the brain opposite to that of the muscle.[2] The nerves within the corticobulbar tract are involved in movement in muscles of the head. They are involved in swallowing, phonation, and movements of the tongue.[6] By virtue of involvement with the facial nerve, the corticobulbar tract is also responsible for transmitting facial expression.[5] With the exception of lower muscles of facial expression, all functions of the corticobulbar tract involve inputs from both sides of the brain.[5]
The term extrapyramidal motor system is used to refer to tracts within the spinal cord involved in voluntary movement but not part of the pyramidal tracts.[2] Their functions include the control of posture and muscle tone.[citation needed]
Clinical significance
If fibres of the corticospinal tracts are damaged anywhere along their course from the cerebral cortex to the lower end of the spinal cord, this will give rise to an upper motor neuron syndrome. A few days after the injury to the upper motor neurons, a pattern of motor signs and symptoms appears, including spasticity, hyperactive reflexes, a loss of the ability to perform fine movements, and an extensor plantar response known as the Babinski sign.[7] Symptoms generally occur alongside other sensory problems. Causes of damage may include masses such as strokes, subdural hemorrhage, absesses and tumours, inflammation such as meningitis and multiple sclerosis, and trauma to the spinal cord, including from slipped discs.[4]
If the corticobulbar tract is damaged on only one side, then only the lower face will be affected, however if there is involvement of both the left and right tracts, then the result is pseudobulbar palsy. This causes problems with swallowing, speaking, and emotional lability.[4]
Additional images
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Dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view.
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Superficial dissection of brain-stem. Ventral view.
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Diagram of the principal fasciculi of the spinal cord, from Gray's anatomy
References
- ^ Chapter 9 of "Principles of Physiology" (3rd edition) by Robert M. Berne and Mathew N. Levy. Published by Mosby, Inc. (2000) ISBN 0-323-00813-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hall, Arthur C. Guyton, John E. (2005). Textbook of medical physiology (11th ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. pp. 687–690. ISBN 978-0-7216-0240-0.
- ^ Anthoney, Terence R. (1994). Neuroanatomy and the neurologic exam : a thesaurus of synonyms, similar-sounding non-synonyms, and terms of variable meaning. Boca Raton: CRC Press. pp. 458–460. ISBN 9780849386312.
- ^ a b c Fauci, Anthony S.; Harrison, T. R., eds. (2008). Harrison's principles of internal medicine (17th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 147–149. ISBN 978-0-07-147692-8.
- ^ a b c Arslan, Orhan (2001). Neuroanatomical Basis of Clinical Neurology. CRC Press. p. 368. ISBN 1439806136.
- ^ a b c d e Young, Paul A. (2007). Basic clinical neuroscience (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 69–70. ISBN 9780781753197.
- ^ Neuroscience (2. ed.). Sunderland, Mass: Sinauer Assoc. 2001. pp. Damage to Descending Motor Pathways: The Upper Motor Neuron Syndrome. ISBN 0-87893-742-0.
External links
- 959774759 at GPnotebook
- Illustration and text: 01Pyramid at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Medical school
- McGill
- Stained brain slice images which include the "Corticospinal tract" at the BrainMaps project
Anatomy of the midbrain
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|
Tectum
(Dorsal) |
Surface |
- Corpora quadrigemina:
- Inferior colliculus
- Superior colliculus
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Grey matter |
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White: Sensory/ascending |
- Spinotectal tract
- Central tegmental tract
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White: Motor/descending |
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Peduncle
(Ventral) |
Tegmentum |
White: Sensory/ascending |
- Lemnisci
- Ascending MLF
- Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers
- Spinothalamic tract
- Anterior trigeminothalamic tract
- Dentatothalamic tract
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|
White: Motor/descending |
- Rubrospinal tract
- Rubro-olivary tract
- Descending MLF
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Grey: cranial nuclei |
- GSA
- Mesencephalic- GSE
- Oculomotor nucleus, Trochlear nucleus- GVE
- Edinger–Westphal nucleus
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Grey: other |
- Periaqueductal gray
- Raphe nuclei
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- Ventral tegmental area
- Pedunculopontine nucleus
- Red nucleus
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- Rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus
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Ventricular system |
|
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Base |
White: Motor/descending |
- Cerebral crus: Corticospinal tract
- Corticobulbar tract
- Corticopontine tract/Frontopontine fibers/Temporopontine fibers
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Grey: Substantia nigra |
- Pars compacta
- Pars reticulata
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Surface |
- Superior cerebellar peduncle
- Interpeduncular fossa
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|
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Index of the central nervous system
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|
Description |
- Anatomy
- meninges
- cortex
- association fibers
- commissural fibers
- lateral ventricles
- basal ganglia
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- pons
- cerebellum
- medulla
- spinal cord
- Physiology
- Development
|
|
Disease |
- Cerebral palsy
- Meningitis
- Demyelinating diseases
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Headache
- Stroke
- Sleep
- Congenital
- Injury
- Neoplasms and cancer
- Other
- Symptoms and signs
- head and neck
- eponymous
- lesions
- Tests
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|
Treatment |
- Procedures
- Drugs
- general anesthetics
- analgesics
- addiction
- epilepsy
- cholinergics
- migraine
- Parkinson's
- vertigo
- other
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|
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Anatomy of the pons
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|
Dorsal/
(tegmentum) |
Surface |
- Cerebellopontine angle
- Superior medullary velum
- Sulcus limitans
- Medial eminence
- Facial colliculus
|
|
White: Sensory |
- Trapezoid body
- Trigeminal lemniscus
- Dorsal trigeminal tract
- Ventral trigeminal tract
- Medial lemniscus
- Lateral lemniscus
- Medial longitudinal fasciculus
- Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers
- Anterior trigeminothalamic tract
- Central tegmental tract
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|
White: Motor |
- Inferior cerebellar peduncle
- Vestibulocerebellar tract
- Medial longitudinal fasciculus
- Vestibulospinal tract
- Medial vestibulospinal tract
- Lateral vestibulospinal tract
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|
Grey: Cranial nuclei |
afferent: |
- GSA
- Cochlear nucleus
- Vestibular nuclei
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efferent: |
- SVE: Trigeminal motor nucleus
- Facial motor nucleus
- GSE: Abducens nucleus
- GVE: Superior salivary nucleus
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Other |
- Apneustic center
- Pneumotaxic center
- Medial parabrachial nucleus
- Lateral parabrachial nucleus
- Superior olivary nucleus
- Caerulean nucleus
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|
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Ventral/
(base) |
Grey |
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White: Motor/descending |
- Corticospinal tract
- Corticobulbar tract
- Corticopontine fibers
- MCP
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Surface |
|
|
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Other grey: Raphe/
reticular |
- Reticular formation
- Caudal
- Oral
- Tegmental
- Paramedian
- Raphe nuclei
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Index of the central nervous system
|
|
Description |
- Anatomy
- meninges
- cortex
- association fibers
- commissural fibers
- lateral ventricles
- basal ganglia
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- pons
- cerebellum
- medulla
- spinal cord
- Physiology
- Development
|
|
Disease |
- Cerebral palsy
- Meningitis
- Demyelinating diseases
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Headache
- Stroke
- Sleep
- Congenital
- Injury
- Neoplasms and cancer
- Other
- Symptoms and signs
- head and neck
- eponymous
- lesions
- Tests
|
|
Treatment |
- Procedures
- Drugs
- general anesthetics
- analgesics
- addiction
- epilepsy
- cholinergics
- migraine
- Parkinson's
- vertigo
- other
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The spinal cord
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General features |
- Cervical enlargement
- Lumbar enlargement
- Conus medullaris
- Filum terminale
- Cauda equina
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Grey matter |
Posterior grey column |
- Marginal nucleus
- Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando
- Nucleus proprius
- Spinal lamina V
- Spinal lamina VI
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Lateral grey column |
- Intermediolateral nucleus
- Posterior thoracic nucleus
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Anterior grey column |
- Interneuron
- Alpha motor neuron
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Other |
- Rexed laminae
- Central gelatinous substance
- Gray commissure
- Central canal
- Terminal ventricle
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White matter |
Sensory |
Posterior |
- Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway:
- Gracile
- Cuneate
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Lateral: |
- Spinocerebellar
- Spinothalamic
- Posterolateral
- Spinotectal
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- Spinoreticular tract
- Spino-olivary tract
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Motor |
Lateral |
- Corticospinal
- Extrapyramidal
- Rubrospinal
- Olivospinal
- Raphespinal
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Anterior |
- Corticospinal
- Extrapyramidal
- Vestibulospinal
- Reticulospinal
- Tectospinal
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Both |
- Anterior white commissure
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External features |
- Ventral
- Anterior median fissure
- Anterolateral sulcus
- Dorsal
- Posterior median sulcus
- Posterolateral sulcus
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Index of the central nervous system
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|
Description |
- Anatomy
- meninges
- cortex
- association fibers
- commissural fibers
- lateral ventricles
- basal ganglia
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- pons
- cerebellum
- medulla
- spinal cord
- Physiology
- Development
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|
Disease |
- Cerebral palsy
- Meningitis
- Demyelinating diseases
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Headache
- Stroke
- Sleep
- Congenital
- Injury
- Neoplasms and cancer
- Other
- Symptoms and signs
- head and neck
- eponymous
- lesions
- Tests
|
|
Treatment |
- Procedures
- Drugs
- general anesthetics
- analgesics
- addiction
- epilepsy
- cholinergics
- migraine
- Parkinson's
- vertigo
- other
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Brain and spinal cord: neural tracts and fasciculi
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Sensory/
ascending |
PCML |
1°: |
- Pacinian corpuscle/Meissner's corpuscle → Posterior column (Gracile fasciculus/Cuneate fasciculus) → Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus
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2°: |
- → sensory decussation/arcuate fibers (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers) → Medial lemniscus/Trigeminal lemniscus → Thalamus (VPL, VPM)
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3°: |
- → Posterior limb of internal capsule → Postcentral gyrus
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Anterolateral/
pain |
Fast/lateral |
- 1° (Free nerve ending → A delta fiber) → 2° (Anterior white commissure → Lateral and Anterior Spinothalamic tract → Spinal lemniscus → VPL of Thalamus) → 3° (Postcentral gyrus) → 4° (Posterior parietal cortex)
2° (Spinomesencephalic tract → Superior colliculus of Midbrain tectum)
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Slow/medial |
- 1° (Group C nerve fiber → Spinoreticular tract → Reticular formation) → 2° (MD of Thalamus) → 3° (Cingulate cortex)
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|
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Motor/
descending |
Pyramidal |
- flexion: Primary motor cortex → Posterior limb of internal capsule → Decussation of pyramids → Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) → Neuromuscular junction
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Extrapyramidal |
flexion: |
- Primary motor cortex → Genu of internal capsule → Corticobulbar tract → Facial motor nucleus → Facial muscles
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flexion: |
- Red nucleus → Rubrospinal tract
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extension: |
- Vestibulocerebellum → Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulospinal tract
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extension: |
- Vestibulocerebellum → Reticular formation → Reticulospinal tract
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- Midbrain tectum → Tectospinal tract → muscles of neck
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Basal ganglia |
direct: |
1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPi) → 3° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 4° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 5° (Motor cortex)
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indirect: |
1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPe) → 3° (Subthalamic fasciculus → Subthalamic nucleus) → 4° (Subthalamic fasciculus → GPi) → 5° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 6° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 7° (Motor cortex)
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nigrostriatal pathway: |
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|
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Cerebellar |
Afferent |
- Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum → Granule cell
- Pontine nuclei → Pontocerebellar fibers → MCP → Deep cerebellar nuclei → Granule cell
- Inferior olivary nucleus → Olivocerebellar tract → ICP → Hemisphere → Purkinje cell → Deep cerebellar nuclei
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|
Efferent |
- Dentate nucleus in Lateral hemisphere/pontocerebellum → SCP → Dentatothalamic tract → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex
- Interposed nucleus in Intermediate hemisphere/spinocerebellum → SCP → Reticular formation, or → Cerebellothalamic tract → Red nucleus → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex
- Fastigial nucleus in Flocculonodular lobe/vestibulocerebellum → Vestibulocerebellar tract → Vestibular nuclei
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Bidirectional:
Spinocerebellar |
Unconscious
proprioception |
- lower limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Posterior thoracic nucleus → Dorsal/posterior spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellar vermis)
- upper limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Accessory cuneate nucleus → Cuneocerebellar tract → ICP → Anterior lobe of cerebellum)
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Reflex arc |
- lower limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Ventral/anterior spinocerebellar tract→ SCP → Cerebellar vermis)
- upper limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Rostral spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum)
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Index of the central nervous system
|
|
Description |
- Anatomy
- meninges
- cortex
- association fibers
- commissural fibers
- lateral ventricles
- basal ganglia
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- pons
- cerebellum
- medulla
- spinal cord
- Physiology
- Development
|
|
Disease |
- Cerebral palsy
- Meningitis
- Demyelinating diseases
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Headache
- Stroke
- Sleep
- Congenital
- Injury
- Neoplasms and cancer
- Other
- Symptoms and signs
- head and neck
- eponymous
- lesions
- Tests
|
|
Treatment |
- Procedures
- Drugs
- general anesthetics
- analgesics
- addiction
- epilepsy
- cholinergics
- migraine
- Parkinson's
- vertigo
- other
|
|
|