ASCENDING AND

DESCENDING TRACTS
DR. BERYL S. OMINDE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this lecture, students should be able to describe;
1. Components of a sensory pathway
2. Components of a motor pathway
3. Describe dorsal column, lateral spinothalamic, and corticospinal
pathway
4. List examples of pyramidal and extrapyramidal pathways
5. Clinical relevance of the tracts
 Characteristics of a pathway
❑Components: Tracts, Nuclei and Relays (synapses)

❑Consist of 2 or 3 neurons

❑Decussate

❑Involve both the brain and spinal cord

❑Are paired (bilaterally and symmetrically)

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 Somatic Sensory Pathways
(Ascending tracts)
• Receptor→ afferent fibres→ CNS (spinal cord, thalamus, brainstem)

• Only 1% reaches the cerebral cortex (conscious awareness)

• Spinal cord intergration produces a rapid motor response (stretch reflex)

SENSORY PATHWAYS
• 3 Neurons involved

• Receptor → 1st order → Spinal cord/brainstem → 2nd order → Thalamus →

3rdorder → cerebral cortex
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 Sensory Pathways

1. First order neuron:

3
• From the receptor to CNS

• Cell body in the dorsal root ganglion.

• The Axon (central process) passes to the spinal

cord through the dorsal root of spinal nerve 2

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2 . Second order neuron:

• cell body in the spinal cord or

medulla oblongata

• Axon decussate

• Terminate on 3rd order neuron

3. Third order neuron:

• Has cell body in thalamus

• Axon terminates on cerebral cortex

ipsilaterally

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 White Matter: Pathway Generalizations

• TRACT is a bundle of nerve fibers (within CNS)

• Same origin, course, destination & function

• Name of the tract indicates the origin and destination of its fibers

TRACTS OF SPINAL CORD

Join brain to the spinal cord: Ascending and Descending

Fibers that interconnect adjacent or distant segments of spinal cord: Intersegmental

(propriospinal)
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 Intersegmental Tracts
1. Fasciculus proprius
• Short asc & desc fibers

• Both crossed & uncrossed

• Begin and end within the spinal cord

• Participate in intersegmental spinal

reflexes

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 Intersegmental Tracts
• Dorsolateral tract of Lissauer:
• 1ry sensory fibers

• pain, temperature and touch

information

• branches ascend and descend several

spinal segments before synapsing in
the dorsal horn

Intersegmental fibers, cross the midline in the anterior white commissure

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 Ascending Spinal Tracts
• sensory modalities that reach a conscious level (cerebral cortex)
• Eg. pain, temperature, touch, proprioception,

• Dorsal column funiculi

• Spinothalamic tracts

• Tactile and stretch receptors to subconscious centers (cerebellum)

• Spinocerebellar tracts

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 • Sensory/Ascending pathways
➢Posterior column (gracile & cuneate fasciculi)
➢Anterolateral pathway (spinothalamic)
➢Spinocerebellar pathway

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 Ascending Spinal Tracts
• Dorsal white column

• Lateral spinothalamic
• Anterior spinothalamic

• Anterior spinocerebellar
• Posterior spinocerebellar

• Cuneocerebellar
• Spinotectal
• Spinoreticular
• Spino-olivary
• Visceral sensory tracts
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 Dorsal Column
• 2 tracts, Fasciculus gracilis (FG) &
fasciculus cuneatus (FC)

• proprioception and discriminative touch

from ipsilateral side of body

• Contain axons of 1ry afferent neurons

that have entered cord through dorsal
roots of spinal nerves

FG- from sacral, lumbar and lower 6 thoracic levels

FC- fibers from upper 6 thoracic and cervical levels

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• Fibers ascend and terminate upon 2nd order
neurons in nucleus gracilis and nucleus
cuneatus

• Axons of 2nd order neurons decussate in the

medulla as internal arcuate fibers

• ascend through the brain stem as medial

lemniscus.

• Terminates in ventral posterior VP nucleus of

the thalamus upon 3rd order neurons

• project to somatosensory cortex

(thalamocortical fibers)

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 Spinothalamic Tracts
• Located lateral and ventral to the ventral
horn

• Pain and thermal sensations (lateral

tract)

• non- discriminative touch and pressure

(Anterior tract)

• In brain stem, constitute the spinal

lemniscus

Information is sent to the opposite primary sensory cortex

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 Lateral Spinothalamic Tract
• pain and thermal sensations.

• 1st order neurons terminate in dorsal horn

• 2nd order neuron ( in the nucleus proprius), decussate

within segment of origin, passing through ventral white
commissure

• terminate on 3rd order neurons in ventral posterior

nucleus of the thalamus.

• Here, crude pain and temperature sensations are

appreciated and emotional reactions are initiated.

• Thalamic neurons project to the somatosensory cortex

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 Anterior Spinothalamic Tract
• non- discriminative/ crude touch and pressure

• 1st order neurons terminate in the dorsal horn

• 2nd order neuron (mostly in the nucleus

proprius) may ascend several segments before
crossing via the ventral white commissure

• 3rd order neurons in ventral posterior nucleus of

thalamus

• Thalamic neurons project to the somatosensory

cortex

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 Muscle/ Joint Sense Pathways to the Cerebellum
Spinocerebellar Tracts
• consists only two neurons

• Two tracts: Posterior & Anterior

• Location; dorsolateral and ventrolateral

surfaces of the cord

• Contain axons of 2nd order neurons

• Carry information from muscle spindles, Golgi

tendon organs and tactile receptors to the
cerebellum

• control of posture and coordination of

movements
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 Posterior Spinocerebellar Tracts
• cell bodies of 2nd order neuron lie in Clark’s
column (Present only above level L3)

• 2nd order neuron terminate ipsilaterally

(uncrossed) in the cerebellar cortex via
inferior cerebellar peduncle.

• Tract carry information from muscle spindles,

tendon organs, and joint receptors of the
trunk and lower limbs.

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 Ventral Spinocerebellar Tracts
• Cell bodies of 2nd order neuron lie in the dorsal horn

• 2nd order neuron cross →ascend to midbrain→ Superior

cerebellar peduncle

• Fibers cross the midline for a 2nd time within the

cerebellum before terminating in the cerebellar cortex

❖Both spinocerebellar tracts convey to the ipsilateral

cerebellum.

• conveys muscle joint information from the muscle

spindles, tendon organs, and joint receptors of the trunk
and lower limbs.

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 Other Ascending Pathways
• Cuneocerebellar Tract- convey information of muscle joint sense to the
cerebellum.

• Spinotectal Tract- for spinovisual reflexes and brings about movements of the
eyes and head toward the source of the stimulation.

• Spinoreticular Tract- for the reticular formation, influences levels of

consciousness.

• Spino-olivary Tract- from cutaneous and proprioceptive organs to cerebellum.

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 Motor Pathways
• 2 neurons
UMN
1. Upper motor neuron : cell body in
cerebral cortex or brain stem
• axon decussates before terminating on
LMN

2. Lower motor neuron: cell body in the

ventral horn

• axon forms ipsilateral ventral root of the

spinal nerve and supply the muscle.

LMN
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 Descending Spinal Tracts

• Originate from the cerebral cortex & brain stem

• Concerned with:
❖ Control of movements
❖ Muscle tone
❖ Spinal reflexes & equilibrium
❖ Spinal autonomic functions

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• Motor pathways are divided into 2 groups

1. Direct pathways (voluntary motion) -

pyramidal tracts

2. Indirect pathways (postural),

extrapyramidal pathways

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 Direct (Pyramidal) System
• Regulates fast and fine (skilled) movements

• Origin: pyramidal neurons of precentral gyrus(1ry motor)

i) Via corticospinal tracts → synapse in anterior horn→ motor nerve root to

skeletal muscles

ii) Via corticobulbar tracts, innervates cranial nerve nuclei

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 Indirect (Extrapyramidal) System

• Complex and multisynaptic pathways

• The system includes:

• Rubrospinal tracts: control flexor muscles

• Vestibulospinal tracts: balance and posture

• Tectospinal tracts: head neck, and eye movement

• Reticulospinal tracts

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Differences between pyramidal and extrapyramidal pathway
 Corticospinal Tracts
• For voluntary, discrete, skilled movements,
especially of distal limb parts

• Terminate on the contralateral side of the

spinal cord

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 Corticospinal tract

• Origin: primary motor, pre-motor, frontal eyefield

cortices

• Cortex→corona radiata→ internal capsule→crus

cerebri→ basal pons→ pyramid of medulla
oblongata

• 75-90% of the fibers decussate as lateral

corticospinal tract

• Remaining fibers descend ipsilaterally as anterior

corticospinal tract. They also decussate before
termination
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• Distribution:
• 55% terminate at cervical region
• 20% at thoracic
• 25% at lumbosacral level

• synapse with intermediate neurons→ alpha

and gamma motor neurons.

• Corticobulbar tracts end at the motor

nuclei of CNs of the contralateral side

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 Rubrospinal Tract
• Origin: Red nucleus at midbrain (level of superior colliculus)

• Cross midline at the level of the red nucleus

• descend pons and medulla → lateral white column of spinal

cord→ synapsing with internuncial neurons in the anterior
gray column

• Input to red nucleus: from cerebral cortex and cerebellum.

• FXN: Facilitates flexor muscles and inhibits extensors.

• Cortico-rubro-spinal pathway (Extrapyramidal)

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 Tectospinal Tract
• FXN: reflex mvts of head and neck in response to
visual stimuli

• Origin: Superior colliculus

• → ventro-medially around periaqueductal gray

matter

• cross in dorsal tegmental decussation

• In spinal cord near ventral median fissure

• Terminate mainly in cervical segments

• Cortico-tecto-spinal pathway (Extrapyramidal)

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 Vestibulospinal Tracts
Lateral Vestibulospinal Tracts

• Origin: lateral vestibular nucleus

• Descend ipsilaterally in the ventral funiculus

• Terminate on ventral horn cells (all

segments)

• Excitatory on extensor motor neurons and

inhibit flexors

• control extensor muscle tone in the

antigravity maintenance of posture
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 Vestibulospinal Tracts
Medial vestibulospinal tract

• Origin: medial vestibular nucleus

• Descend bilaterally in the ventral funiculus,

with medial longitudinal fasciculus

• Most fibers end in cervical region, some in

upper thoracic segments

• FXN: movements of head and neck required

for maintaining equilibrium (Vestibulo-ocular
reflex)
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 Reticulospinal Tracts
• Influence voluntary mvt, reflex activity and muscle tone
by controlling alpha and gamma motor neurons.

• Mediate pressor and depressor effect on the

circulatory system

• Are involved in control of breathing

• Origin: pontine & medullary reticular formation

• Medial (pontine) reticulospinal tract descends

ipsilaterally

• Lateral (medullary) reticulospinal tract descends

bilaterally

• Both3/20/2025
tracts located in the ventral funiculus 47
 Descending Autonomic Fibers
• control of autonomic activity; mainly
hypothalamospinal

• The fibers run in the reticulospinal tracts

• Terminate on the autonomic (sympathetic)

neurons in the:

i) lateral horn of thoracic & upper lumbar

(sympathetic) (T1-L2)

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 Upper Motor Neuron Lesions Lesions of the Corticospinal
Tracts (Pyramidal Tracts)

• clinical signs:
1. Babinski sign is present. (Normal-hallux flex, Primitive-hallux extension)

2. Superficial abdominal reflexes are absent (T7-T12 SC level integrity).

3. Cremasteric reflex is absent (Li-L2). (Stroke inner thigh→ilioinguinal→ spinal

cord→genital branch of genitofemoral→ cremasteric muscle
contracts→elevates testes).

4. Loss of performance of fine-skilled voluntary movements, at the distal end of

the limbs.

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 Lesions of the Descending Tracts Other Than the Corticospinal Tracts
(Extrapyramidal Tracts)

• clinical signs:
1.Severe paralysis with little or no muscle atrophy (except secondary to disuse).

2.Spasticity or hypertonicity of the muscles.

3.Exaggerated deep muscle reflexes and clonus in flexors of the fingers, the quadriceps
femoris, and the calf muscles.

4.Clasp-knife reaction. Passive movement of a joint →resistance /spasticity of the muscles.

The muscles, on stretching, suddenly give way due to neurotendinous organ-mediated
inhibition.
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 Lower Motor Neuron Lesions
• Trauma, infection (poliomyelitis), vascular disorders, degenerative diseases, and neoplasms

• clinical signs:
1. Flaccid paralysis of muscles.

2. Atrophy of muscles.

3. Loss of reflexes of muscles.

4. Muscular fasciculation. Twitching due to slow destruction of lower motor neuron cell.

5. Muscular contracture. Shortening of muscles. It occurs more often in the antagonist muscles
whose action is no longer opposed by the paralyzed muscles.
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Brown Sequard Syndrome
Symptoms in Brown Sequard syndrome
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