Ascending and Descening Tracks Flashcards
What type of information is relayed by ascending tracts?
Sensory information
What type of information is relayed by descending tracts?
Motor information
What information is carried by the fasiculus cuneatus tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Sensory tract for neck, trunk and UE proprioception, vibration, two point discrimination and graphesthesia
What information is carried by the fasiculus gracilis tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Sensory tract for trunk and LE proprioception, vibration, two point discrimination and graphesthesia
What information is carried by the dorsal spinocerebellar tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Ipsilateral subconscious proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, and posture of the trunk and LEs
What information is carried by the ventral spinocerebellar tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Ipsilateral subconscious proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, and posture of the trunk, UEs and LEs
What information is carried by the spino-olivary tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Relayed information from cutaneous and proprioceptive organs
What information is carried by the spinoreticular tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Afferent pathway for reticular formation that influences levels of consciousness
What information is carried by the spinotectal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Afferent information for spinovisual reflexes and assists with movement of the eyes and head towards a stimulus
What information is carried by the anterior spinothalamic tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Light touch and pressure
What information is carried by the lateral spinothalamic tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Ascending tract
Pain and temperature
What is the largest descending tract?
Corticospinal tract
What information is carried by the anterior corticospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Ipsilateral voluntary, discrete and skilled movement
What information is carried by the lateral corticospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Contralateral voluntary fine movement
What information is carried by the reticulospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Facilitation and inhibition of voluntary and reflex activity through the influence on alpha and gamma motor neurons
What information is carried by the rubrospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Motor input of gross postural tone
Facilitating activity of flexor muscles
Inhibiting the activity of extensor muscles
What information is carried by the tectospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Contralateral postural muscle tone associated with auditory/visual stimuli
What information is carried by the vestibulospinal tract? Is this tract ascending or descending?
Descending tract
Ipsilateral gross postural adjustments subsequent to head movements
Facilitating activity of the extensor muscles
Inhibiting activity of the flexor muscles
Which of the descending tracts are pyramidal?
Anterior and lateral corticospinal tracts
Which of the descending tracts are extrapyramidal?
Reticulospinal tract
Rubrospinal tract
Tectospinal tract
Vestibulospinal tract
What happens as a result of damage to the corticospinal (pyramidal) tracts? (3)
Positive Babinski sign
Absent superficial abdominal reflexes and cremasteric reflex
Loss of fine motor or skilled voluntary movement
What happens as a result of damage to the extrapyramidal tracts? (4)
Significant paralysis
Hypertonicity
Exaggerated deep tendon reflexes
Clasp-knife reaction
