Final Flashcards
What do the lower motor neurons of the medial ventral horn govern?
posture, balance, locomotion, and orienting movements of the head and neck during shifts of visual gaze
describe the organization of descending motor control for the medial motor neurons
These medial motor neurons receive descending input from pathways that originate mainly in the brainstem, course through the anterior-medial white matter of the spinal cord, and then terminate bilaterally
What do the lower motor neurons of the lateral ventral horn govern?
The lateral ventral horn contains lower motor neurons that mediate the expression of skilled voluntary movements of the distal extremities
Describe the pathway of the descending motor control of lateral motor neurons
These lateral motor neurons receive a major descending projection from the contralateral motor cortex via the main (lateral) division of the corticospinal tract, which runs in the lateral white matter of the spinal cord.
What is the internal capsule
As the white matter of the corona radiata passes through the basal ganglia it is called the internal capsule
Describe the corticospinal tract
motor cortex internal capsule midbrain pons medullary pyramids pyramidal decussation lateral column of the spinal cord
terminate in the ventral horn (grey matter
Describe the medial and lateral vestibulospinal tracts
Both originate in the vestibular nuclei. The medial vestibulospinal tracts projects bilaterally down the spinal cord and activates the cervical spinal circuits that control neck and back muscles to our guide head movements.
The lateral vestibulospinal tracts projects ipsilaterally as far down as the lumbar spinal cord. It helps maintain an upright and balanced posture by facilitating extensor motor neurons of the legs.
Describe the tectospinal tract summary
- Tectospinal tract summary: superior colliculus decussation contralateral termination - orienting response of head and eyes in response to primarily visual stimuli
Describe the pontine reticulospinal tract
- The pontine reticulospinal tract (medial tract) enhances the antigravity reflexes of the spinal cord.
- Activity in this pathway, by facilitating the extensors of the lower limbs, helps maintain a standing posture by resisting the effects of gravity
Describe the medullary reticulospinal tract
- The medullary reticulospinal tract (lateral tract) has the opposite effect; it liberates the antigravity muscles from reflex control
What kind of mechanism does postural control require
Feedforward, anticipatory mechanism
What would a smashed T10 vertebra result in?
Bilateral leg flaccid paralysis
What would be the result of an anterior spinal cord lesion at C5-T1
Quadriplegia, bilateral hand and tricep weakness, hypotonia, and absent tricep reflexes, urinary retention, incontinences, and absent rectal tone
What does a lesion in the posterior limb of the right internal capsule result in
Pure motor hemiparesis in the left side
What is the function of the vestibulospinal and tectospinal tracts
Keep the head balanced as our body moves and to turn our heads in response to new sensory stimuli
What muscle helps with the maintenance of body posture
gastrocnemius muscle