Ascending tracts (big ppt)

Question 1

What pathways make up the conscious tracts?

Answer 1

• DCML (dorsal column-medial lemniscal)
• Spinothalamic pathways

Question 2

What pathways make up the unconscious tracts?

Answer 2

The spinocerebellar tracts

Question 3

What is the DCML responsible for?

Answer 3

• Fine touch, vibration and proprioception

Question 4

How does information travel (overview)?

Answer 4

• Via dorsal columns in spinal cord
• Then transmitted through medial lemniscus in brainstem

Question 5

What are the first order neurons of the DCML?

Answer 5

• Carry sensory info from peripheral nerves to medulla
• Signals from upper limbs (T6 and above) travel in fasciculus cuneatus and synapse in nucleus cuneatus
• Signals from lower limbs travel in fasciculus gracilis and synapse in nucleus gracilis

Question 6

What are the second order neurons in DCML?

Answer 6

• From cuneate of gracilis nuclei fibres carry info to 3rd order neurons
• Decussate in medulla and travel to contralateral thalamus

Question 7

What are the third order neurons in DCML?

Answer 7

• Transmit sensory info to thalamus and ipsilateral primary sensory cortex

Question 8

What are the 2 tracts in the spinothalamic tracts? (+function)

Answer 8

• Anterior spinothalamic tract: crude touch and pressure
• Lateral spinothalamic tract: pain and temperature

Question 9

What are the first order neurons of the spinothalamic tract?

Answer 9

• Arise from sensory receptors in the periphery
• Enter spinal cord and synapse at tip of dorsal horn

Question 10

What are the second order neurons of the spinothalamic tract?

Answer 10

• Carry info from dorsal horn to thalamus
• Fibres decussate in spinal cord

Question 11

What are the third order neurons of the spinothalamic tract?

Answer 11

From thalamus to ipsilateral primary sensory cortex

Pathways are the same for both tracts
Tracts run alongside each other

Question 12

What are the spinocerebellar tracts?

Answer 12

• Group of tracts carrying unconscious proprioceptive information
• Information carried from muscles to cerebellum

Question 13

Where does the posterior spinocerebellar tract carry?

Answer 13

From lower limbs to ipsilateral cerebellum

Question 14

Where does the cuneocerebellar tract carry?

Answer 14

From upper limbs to ipsilateral cerebellum

Question 15

Where does the anterior spinocerebellar tract carry?

Answer 15

• From lower limbs to ipsilateral cerebellum
• Fibres in this tract decussate twice

Question 16

Where does the rostral spinocerebellar tract carry?

Answer 16

From upper limbs to ipsilateral cerebellum