INTS9 - Motor and Sensory Pathways Flashcards
Where do the principle descending motor pathways originate from.
Originate from the cerebral cortex and the brainstem.
What are the names of the two motor pathways originating from the primary motor cortex.
Corticobulbar tract and corticospinal tract.
What are the fewest number of neurons involved in a motor response, connecting the brain to a muscle. Give name for this pathway.
- Upper motor neuron at the brain and lower motor neuron at the spinal cord. Referred to as a monosynaptic pathway.
What is the motor homunculus.
Somatic representation that maps body regions to corresponding, region on primary motor cortex, indicating how much cortical space is required per type of movement.
Briefly discuss corticobulbar tract.
Originate from primary motor cortex located near pre central and central Gyri. Goes to muscles in the face and neck, aiding various movements of these body regions.
Where is the primary motor and primary sensory cortex located.
In between the pre central and post central gyri.
What are the four pathways originating from the brainstem.
Vestibulospinal. Recticulospinal. Rubrospinal. Tectospinal.
Which body regions mapped to the motor homunculus take up more space than others.
Face and hands map to a leader region of the brain than the foot and tongue do.
What are the two regions of the corticospinal tract.
Lateral and anterior corticospinal tract.
What is controlled by the lateral and anterior corticospinal tract respectively.
Lateral tract - skilled voluntary movements.
Anterior tract - postural adjustments following limb movements.
Where do corticospinal fibres originate from and how do they form the anterior and lateral corticospinal tracts.
Originate in the primary motor cortex in the brain. 85-90% DecussAte in the medulla to form the lateral corticospinal tract. Remaining 10-15% form the anterior corticospinal tract.
Where do the anterior and lateral corticospinal tracts terminate.
Anterior tract - terminate on the lower motor neurons, at the same level where the fibres cross.
Lateral tract - terminate on the lower motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord.
Four motor tracts are under voluntary control. True or false.
False - involuntary control. On trolls vestibulospinal, reticulospinal, tectospinal and rubrospinal.
Where does the rubrospinal tract originate from.
Red nucleus.
Where do the reticulospinal, tectospinal and vestibulospinal tracts originate from.
Superior colliculus. Vestibular nuclei.
Discuss role of vestibulospinal tract. Mention origination.
Conveys signals from inner ear to muscles allowing the maintenance of balance by providing information on head movement and position. Controls movement of neck and postural adjustments.
Originate from lateral and medial vestibular nuclei.
What are the two classifications of the vestibulospinal tract. What does each do.
Medial and lateral.
Medial - bilateral to neck muscles. Axons terminate on cervical and thoracic motor neurons.
Lateral - ipsilateral excitatory to extensors. Inhibitory to flexors. Axons terminate at all levels of the spinal cord. Mediate postural adjustments.
Discuss origin and role of rubrospinal tract.
Originate from red nucleus in midbrain. Travel through brainstem and synapse onto lower motor neurons supplying flexor muscles of upper limbs with nerves. Mainly taken over by the corticospinal tract in humans,
What does the brainstem consist of.
Midbrain, pons and medulla.
Discuss origin and role of reticulospinal tract.
Originate from reticular formation of pons and medulla. Control orientation of body towards or away from stimuli. Mainly ipsilateral with motor neuron axons terminating at any level of the spinal cord.
Discuss origin and function of tectospinal cord.
Fibres originate from superior colliculus of Brain. Fibres descend bilaterally through brainstem and innervate lower motor neurones of the neck. Aid orientation of head and neck during eye movements.
Give the names of the 7 overall tracts observed in a axial cut of a spinal column section
Lateral and anterior corticospinal. Medial and lateral reticulospinal. Rubrospinal. Vestibulospinal. Tectospinal.