Egleton - Descending Spinal Cord Pathways Flashcards
Parasympathetic vs Sympathetic
Parasympathetic - Rest & Digest
Originate: Brain Stem and Sacral Cord
Ganglia: Near Target
Long Pre, Short Post
Sympathetic - Fight or Flight
Originate: Thoraco-Lumbar (T1-L3)
Ganglia: Near Spinal Cord
Short Pre, Long Post
Terminus for Autonomic Nervous System fibers?
Intermediolateral Nucleus
Sympathetic: T1-L2
Parasympathetic: S2-S4
Referred Pain
Consequence of convergence of visceral and somatic pain fibers in given dorsal root on same spinothalamic tract.
Area corresponds to dermatome innervated by spinal segment to which the visceral afferents projects.
Corticospinal Tract
Origin?
Role?
“Great Voluntary Motor Pathway”
40% of fibers take origin from Primary Motor Cortex in the Precentral Gyrus
Also contributions from premotor cortex, somatic sensory cortex, parietal lobe, cingulate gyrus, contributions from
Coordinates how muscles move
Primary Motor Cortex
Arrangement?
Somatotropic, similar to motor cortex
Brodmann Area 4, homongulus
Path of Corticospinal Tract?
Forms what?
Decussates?
Starts in Primary Motor Cortex
Descends through the corona radiate and internal capsule to reach brainstem
Continues through the crus of the midbrain and the basilar pons to reach the medulla oblongata
Forms the Pyramid
85% fibers Decussates at Pyramidal Decussation, forms Lateral Corticospinal Tract (remaining form Anterior Corticospinal Tract)
15% Decussate at origin of LMN
Descending Motor Pathways and Motor Neurons:
Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) vs Lower Motor Neuron (LMN)
Upper Motor Neuron: Motor neurons projecting from the Cortex to the Spinal Cord or Brain Stem
Form synapses onto LMN in Anterior Horns of Central Grey in Spinal Cord or Brain Stem
Lower Motor Neuron: Axons project from CNS via Anterior Spinal Roots in Spinal Cord or via Cranial Nerves to muscle cells
Indirect Corticospinal Pathways:
Rubrospinal
Tectospinal
Vestibulospinal
Regulate background activity against which the cortiospinal pathway exerts its influence
Rubrospinal tract
Origin?
Decussates?
Travels Down?
Function?
Origin: Red Nucleus of Brain Stem
Decussates: Ventral Tegmentum
Descends: Lateral Column
Function: Integrates information, coordinates automatic movements (locomotion)
Anterior Grey Horn
Intrinsic muscles of hand and foot?
Diaphragm?
Each motor neuron column in the Anterior Horn supplies muscles having similar functions.
Trunk = Medial
Extensors Anterior to Flexors
Retrodorsolateral Nucleus devoted to hand/foot
Central Nucleus supplies Diaphragm
What is a unique property of corticomotoneuronal fivers of the Lateral Column Spinothalamic Tract?
What can be the result of a lesion in this area?
Fractionation - small groups can be selectively activated
Results in skilled movements
- - -
Damage to corticomotorneural fibers = loss of skilled movement, hard to recover
Types of Motor Neurons:
Alpha vs Gamma
Alpha = Main force generation
Gamma = Regulate Sensitivity
Renshaw Cells
Feedback Cells
Involved in co-contraction of like muscles, and inhibition of their antagonists
Also attenuate alpha motorneuron activity
Excitatory Internuncials
Ia Inhibitory Internuncials
Help recruit additional motor neurons
Antagonist Inactivation – first neurons activated during voluntary movement
UMN Lesion vs LMN Lesion
(not table, just define)
UMN = Lesion in pathway prior to synapse in the anterior horn
LMN = Lesion anywhere between the muscle and the synapse in the anterior horn
LMN Lesion:
Strength?
Muscle Tone?
Stretch Reflex?
Atrophy?
Other Signs?
LMN Lesion:
Strength: Decrease
Muscle Tone: Decrease
Stretch Reflex: Decrease
Atrophy: Severe
Other Signs:
Fasciculation (visible small twitch), Fibrillation (not visible small twitch)