Somatosensory Paths Flashcards
What does the posterior column transmit
Perception of mechanical stimuli
Size, shape, and texture discrimination, and recognition of 3D shape
Proprioception
What is 2 pt discrimination
Can discriminate b/w 2 stimuli simultaneously
Related to density of peripheral nerve endings
Density seen in a small receptive field?
Density send in a small receptive field?
High receptor density
Low receptor density
Where are the cell bodies of the primary afferent fibers?
Where do these cell bodies terminate?
Dorsal root ganglion
On neurons in spinal gray matter
Where do primary afferent fibers for the posterior columns enter the spinal cord?
Enter via medial division of the posterior root then branch
What does the fasciculus gracilis transmit?
Sensory info and proprioception from
BELOW T6
What does the fasciculus Cuneatus do?
Transmits sensory info from AT and ABOVE T6
As you go up fasciculus gracilis and Cuneatus, how are fibers added?
Sacral fibers medially
Rostral fibers laterally
What happens to the posterior columns if they are lesioned at the spinal cord?
Ipsilateral reduction or loss of discriminative, positional, and vibratory tactile sensation at and below segment lesion
What is sensory ataxia?
What 2 things could it be caused from?
Loss of muscle tendon reflexes
Loss of proprioception from extremities
Wide based stance and place feet with force
Lesion to posterior column
Neurosyphylis
Where are the nuclei for gracile and Cuneatus?
Posterior medulla
What are the gracile nucleus and cuneate nucleus supplied by?
Posterior spinal a.
Where do the posterior columns cross midline?
Internal arcuate fibers in medulla
After crossing in the medulla, how do the posteiror columns ascend?
Ascend as medial lemniscus
Topographically, how are the medial lemniscus fibers set up?
upper ext. = medial
Lower extr. = lateral
Where does the ML go to?
VPL nucleus in thalamus
What is the blood supply of ML?
Anterior spinal a.
Where are the ventral posterior nuclei?
What supplies them?
In caudal thalamus
Thalamogeniculate branches
WHat happens if there is a lesion of thalamogeniculate branches of PCA?
Loss of all tactile sensation over opposite body and head
Thalamogeniculate supplies ML - aka posterior columns
The third order neurons of posterior column go where?
Posterior limb of internal capsule
What is the final destination of the GF/CF/ML posterior column pathways?
Primary and seocndary somatosensory cortices
What makes up the primary somatosensory cortex?
What is is boarded by?
Post central gyrus and posterior paracentral gyrus
Central and post central sulcus
What is the primary somatosensory cortex divided into?
Brodmann areas
3a,3b, 1 and 2
What supplies the primary somatosensory cortex?
ACA and MCA
What would a lesion to MCA cause (looking to primary somatosensory cortex)?
Tactile loss over contralateral upper body and face
What would a lesion to ACA cause (looking to primary somatosensory cortex)?
Affect contralateral lower limb
Where is the secondary somatosensory cortex?
What sends it inputs?
Upper bank of lateral sulcus
Input from somatosensory cortex and VPI of thalamus
What can a lesion to the parietal cortical region produce?
Agnosia = contralateral body regions lost from body map, limbs are not recognized
(Sensory intact)
What does the Mesencephalic nucelsu?
Proprioceptive info from masticatory ms., extraocular ms. And periodontal l.
What does the principle sensory nucleus do?
Discriminative tactile and proprioceptive info
What supplies the prinicpal sensory nucleus?
SCA
Principle Sensory A.