Motor Systems

Question 1

Two “lateral pathways”: i.e. once they reach the spinal cord they travel in the lateral column/funiculus:
1. ??? tract
2. Rubrospinal Tract

Answer 1

lateral corticospinal tract

Question 1

Three “medial pathways”: i.e. once
they reach the spinal cord they travel in the anterior/ventral column/funiculus:
1. anterior corticospinal tract
2. ???
3. Reticulospinal Tracts

Answer 1

vestibulospinal tracts

Question 2

Ipsilateral means ???

Answer 2

Same side

Question 3

the corticospinal tract runs from the cortex of the brain to the spinal cord and originates in ???; PMA (premotor area) and SMA (supplementary motor area)

Answer 3

M1 (primary motor
cortex; precentral gyrus)

Question 4

the ??? tract is 90% in lateral funiculus, 10% medially in ventral funiculus

Answer 4

corticospinal

Question 5

the corticospinal tract is involved in what type of function?

Answer 5

voluntary movement

Question 6

the Lateral tract of the ??? is most important for fine, precise, rapid,
skilled voluntary movements of small motor units (i.e. hands). Descending corticospinal tract fibres synapse directly on alpha motor neurons in the ventral horn

Answer 6

corticospinal tract

Question 7

Anterior or lateral (?) tract: Most involved with proximal musculature. Descending corticospinal tract fibres synapse on interneurons on the cord before they then synapse on lower motor neurons in the ventral horn.

Answer 7

anterior tract of corticospinal tract

Question 8

Axial/proximal muscles receive more input from other “extrapyramidal” motor pathways through the ??? tract

Answer 8

corticospinal tract

Question 9

corticospinal and ipsilateral tract lesions: Contralateral spastic paralysis/paresis of the body = from the ??? down

Answer 9

from the neck and below

Question 10

Corticospinal tract: Lesions above the decussation (i.e. in the brain/
brainstem) = MOTOR or SENSORY (?) deficits to the contralateral side.

Answer 10

motor

Question 11

Corticospinal tract: Lesions BELOW or ABOVE the decussation (i.e. in the cord) = motor deficits to the ipsilateral side

Answer 11

below

Question 12

TRUE or FALSE: “Parallel processing” can often recover some of the
function of more gross movements once corticospinal tract has lesioned

Answer 12

TRUE