Ascending & Descending tracts of spinal cord
General overview
Ascending tracts
Sensory
Descending tracts
Motor
General arrangement of both tracts
1st order neuron
2nd order neuron
3rd order neuron
The only difference is the different locations where each order of neuron ends.
Decussation is the cross-over of the tract from one side to the other. Therefore, there are
instances where the left side of the body is controlled by the right brain hemisphere.
Decussation occurs at different locations for each tracts.
General arrangement of descending tracts
1st order neuron
First-order neurons conduct impulses from receptors of the skin and from
proprioceptors (receptors located in a join, muscle or tendon) to the spinal cord
or brain stem, where they synapse with second-order neurons. First-order
neurons cell bodes reside in ganglion (dorsal root or cranial).
starts at the cerebral cortex in the somatomotor area
2nd order neuron
2nd neuron to carry an order. The order could be a sensory stimulus or a
motor stimulus.
axon of the 1st order neuron will synapse with the 2nd order neuron at the
level of the brain stem, which commonly decussate (crosses over) to the opposite
side.
3rd order neuron
The 3rd order neuron is located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord,
which will exit with the spinal nerve to supply the muscle.
Types of descending tracts:
Lateral corticospinal tract
Anterior corticospinal tract
Therefore, the descending tract is also known as corticospinal tract.
Corticospinal tract arise from
long axons of the pyramidal cells (extrapyramidal layer) of the precentral
gyrus (primary motor centre of the cerebral cortex)
lies in front of the central sulcus
Homunculus arrangement
arranged upside down
the finer the movement, the more the cortical representation
fingers, face, tongue more
trunk, lower limbs less
medial surface: lower limbs
superolateral surface: everything else
1) 1st order neuron
Fibres of the 1st order neuron arise from the precentral gyrus
These fibres converge and enter a small area
internal capsule
like a bunch of flowers with a ribbon tied around it
ALL the fibers (from ascending & descending tracts) converge here
Function: separates the caudate nucleus and the thalamus from
the lenticular nucleus
Ques: location of internal capsule
bounded medially by the thalamus and caudate
nucleus
bounded laterally by the lenticular nucleus
Parts of internal capsule (not homunculus arrangement, normal
head to toe)
anterior limb
head & neck fibres most anterior
posterior limb
lower limb fibres most posterior
The descending fibres passes through the
LATERAL half of the posterior limb of internal capsule
After the internal capsule, the fibres enter the brain stem
midbrain
pons
medulla
2) 2nd order neuron
Fibres of the 1st order neuron ends when it enters the brain stem and synapse
with the 2nd order neuron
The fibres pass through the brainstem
1st through the (mid 5th) crus cerebri of midbrain
2nd through the anterior part of the pons
3rd in the medulla oblongata
80-85% of the fibres cross to the opposite side
Motor decussation
uncrossed fibres
Enters the spinal cord
3) 3rd order neuron
2nd order neuron fibres in the medulla oblongata enters the spinal cord and
synapse with the 3rd order neuron
Motor decussation
in the spinal tract, the crossed tract descend as the lateral
corticospinal tract
Therefore, the motor cortex of the cerebral hemisphere controls the
opposite side of the body (L R, R L)
contra-lateral side
In upper motor neuron lesions:
above the motor decussation (above medulla)
opposite side of body affected
below the motor decussation
same side of body affected
ipsilateral side
Uncrossed fibres
in the spinal tract, the uncrossed tract descent as the anterior
corticospinal tract
its fibres cross at spinal level?
Ascending tracts (sensory)
Types of ascending tracts:
Spinothalamic tracts
Lateral
pain & temperature
Anterior
light touch & pressure
Dorsal column tract
deep touch & pressure
proprioception
vibration sensation
Spinocerrebellar tract
posture & coordination
1st order neuron:
Arise from sensory receptors of the body
The fibres enter the white mater and ends at the substantia gelatinosa
tip of posterior gray horn
2nd order neuron:
The fibres of 1st order neuron synapse with the 2nd order neuron at the
substantia gelatinosa
These fibres then cross to the opposite side
Pain & temperature fibres
enters the lateral spinothalamic tract
Light touch & pressure fibres
enters the anterior spinothalamic tract
These tracts ascends to brainstem
to medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain
tracts flattened in the brainstem
spinal lemniscus
Reaches the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus
ends here
3rd order neuron:
The 3rd order neurons arise from the thalamus and pass through the internal
capsule
thalamocortical fibres pass through the medial part of the posterior limb
of the internal capsule
Enters the postcentral gyrus
sensory cortex of the cerebrum
behind the central sulcus
Same homunculus arrangement
more sensitive areas in the body have a greater representation
dorsal column tracts:
1st order neuron:
Arise from the sensory receptors of the body
Fibres enter the dorsal column of the SAME side (post column of spinal cord)
ascends to the medulla oblongata
(does not synapse and end here like spinothalamic tract)
Enters medulla oblongata
ends in the gracile and cuneate nucleus
2nd order neuron:
Starts at the gracile & cuneate nucleus of the medulla oblongata
These fibres crosses to the opposite side of the medulla oblongata
Ascends through the brain stem
as flattened bundle
medial lemniscus
Ends in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus
3rd order of nucleus:
Arise from the thalamus
Pass through the internal capsule
medial aspect of the posterior limb of internal capsule
Reaches the postcentral gyrus
ends here
Spinocerebellar tract:
1st order neurons:
Arise from the sensory receptors of the body
Enters the spinal cord
Ends in the Clarkes Column of the posterior grey horn
synapse
2nd order neurons:
Arise from the Clarkes Column
synapse with 1st order neurons
Ascends in the spinocerebellar tracts
Enters the cerebellum
through the interior and superior cerebellar peduncles
the only tract that enters the cerebellum
Actual decussation of these tracts:
These tracts decussate 2 times
therefore cerebellum controls same side of body
ipsilateral
eg. right spinocerebellar tract controls the right side
vice versa
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Clinical anatomy:
Lesion of one half of the spinal cord may lead to
Opposite side of body
loss of pain, temperature, light touch, pressure sensations
Same side of body
loss of the other sensations
Sensory cortex of the cerebral hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body
contralateral
Lesion above the sensory decussation
all the sensations of the OPPOSITE side of the body are lost
Lesion below the sensory decussation
sensations of the SAME side of the body are lost
Cortical lesions
affected areas are usually limited
paralysis/parasthesia is localized
Internal capsule lesions
all ascending & descending tracts are affected
hemiplegia/hemiparasthesia
