Descending motor pathways Flashcards
What is the function of the lateral corticospinal tract?
Voluntary control of distal musculature
What is the function of the anterior corticospinal tract?
Voluntary control of proximal musculature
What are the 2 reticulospinal tracts?
Pontine and medullary
What is the function of the reticulospinal tracts?
Initiate patterned activity
What is the function of the rubrospinal tract?
Excitation of flexor muscles
What site function of tectospinal tracts?
Orientation to visual stimuli
What does the lateral vestibulospinal tract control?
Balance
What does the medial vestibulospinal tract control>
Head movements
Which tracts synapse directly onto LMNs?
Corticobulbar and caroticospinal
Where are LMN found?
In the ventral horn of the spinal cord to innervate muscles
What does damage to LMNs cause?
Flaccid paralysis (weakness)
What does damage to UMNs cause?
Paralysis
Where does the lateral corticospinal tract decussate?
Pyramid of medulla
Where does the anterior corticospinal tract decussate?
Segmental level of spinal cord
What type of innervations does corticobulbar fibres provide? (bilateral, ipsilateral, contralateral)
Bilateral to nuclei of V and VII (upper face)
Contralateral to nucleus of VII (lower face)
Ipsilateral to XII except genioglossus which is contralateral
What forms the boundaries of the internal capsule?
Cuneate nucleus, basal ganglia and thalamus
What is the reticular formation?
Group of nuclei
What are the functioned of the reticular formation?
Send fibres into the cortex and control consciousness
Where does the rubrospinal tract originate?
Red nucleus
