Divisions of Spinal Cord White Matter

Question 1

Lateral Corticospinal Tract

Answer 1

Motor Tract. Pyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from cell bodies in the cerebral cortex that descend, cross, and synapse on and control activity of Lower motor neurons (LMN) in the spinal cord.

Specialized for movement of distal extremities.

Question 2

Ventral Corticospinal Tract

Answer 2

Motor Tract. Pyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from cell bodies in the cerebral cortex that descend and synapse on and control activity of LMNs in the spinal cord

Minor role in movement of trunk.

Question 3

Rubrospinal Tract

Answer 3

Motor. EXTRAPyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from cell bodies in the red nucleus of midbrain that cross and descend to synapse on LMNs in the spinal cord

Minor Role in control of extremities.

Question 4

Lateral Vestibulospinal Tract

Answer 4

Motor. EXTRAPyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from cell bodies in the vestibular nucleus primarily in medulla that descend and controls activity of LMNs in the spinal cord.

Role in maintaining an upright posture.

Question 5

Medial Vestibulospinal Tract

Answer 5

Motor. EXTRAPyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from cell bodies in the vestibular nucleus in the medulla that descend and synapse on or near LMNs to controls activity of LMNs on both sides of the spinal cord.

Involved in movements that help regain balance when falling.

Question 6

Reticulospinal UMN Tracts

Answer 6

Motor. EXTRAPyramidal UMNs.

Fibers from the primitive reticular formation of the brainstem that descend and synapse on or near LMNs in the spinal cord

Question 7

Lateral Spinothalamic Tract

Answer 7

Sensory. Part of Anterolateral Column.

Fibers from cell bodies in the spinal cord gray (nucleus proprius), that cross to the other side of the SC, and ascend, transmitting PAIN and TEMPERATURE sensation to the thalamus.

Question 8

Faciculus Gracilis

Answer 8

Sensory. Part of Dorsal White Column.

Fibers from cell bodies in the DRG that ascend and transmit two point tactile discrimination, conscious proprioception and vibration sense from the lower half of the body, T7 and below to nucleus gracilis in the medulla.

Question 9

Faciculus Cuneatus

Answer 9

Sensory. Part of Dorsal White Column.

Fibers from cell bodies in the DRG that ascend and transmit two point tactile discrimination, conscious proprioception and vibration sense from the upper body (T6 and above) to nucleus cuneatus in the medulla.

Question 10

Dorsal Spinocerebellar Tract

Answer 10

Sensory.

Fibers from cell bodies in nucleus dorsalis in the spinal cord that transmit NONCONCIOUS PROPRIOCEPTION to the cerebellum (one of several cerebellar tracts)