Neuroanatomy Flashcards
Descending (motor) tracts
UMNs from brain to LMNs
Motor signals
LMNs
Directly innervate muscles
Pyramidal tracts: function
Voluntary control of muscles of body + face
Pyramidal tracts: pathway
Cerebral cortex to spinal cord + brainstem
Types of pyramidal tract
Corticospinal + corticobulbar
Corticospinal tracts
Voluntary control of muscles of body
Corticobulbar tracts
Voluntary control of muscles of head + neck
think head = bulb
Extrapyramidal tracts: function
Involuntary + automatic control of all musculature
Extrapyramidal tracts: pathway
Brainstem to spinal cord
Upper limb sensation: nerve root
T6 and above
Lower limb sensation: nerve root
T7 and below
Spinocerebellar tracts
Proprioception
Dorsal (posterior) column
Proprioception, vibration + fine touch
Spinothalamic tract
Crude touch, pressure, pain, temperature
Anterior spinothalamic tract
Crude touch + pressure
Lateral spinothalamic tract
Pain + temperature
Dorsal (posterior) column decussation (proprioception + vibration)
Brainstem
Spinothalamic tract (pressure/touch; pain + temperature) decussation
On entering the spinal cord
Lateral corticospinal tracts: decussation
Medulla
where do spinal nerves lie and finish
where does CE begin
where does the spinal cord end? where should you do LP?
L1/L2 (so do LP at L3/4)
below that is just nerve roots - cauda equina
structure of spinal cord
31 segments - from each segment on each side branches:
1 sensory nerve root (dorsal/posterior)
1 motor nerve root (ventral/anterior)
these nerve roots merge into spinal nerves
UMN vs LMN
UMN = CNS LMN = PNS
UMN = brain, SC, white matter tracts
LMN = anterior horn cell, nerve root, spinal motor nerve, neuromuscular junction
dorsal (posterior) vs ventral (anterior) columns/roots
each spinal nerve attached to SC by its 2 roots:
posterior root - sensory
anterior root - motor
