Spinal Tracts

Question 1

Ascending Tracks: Dorsal Column/Medial Leminiscus

(posterior or dorsal column)

Answer 1

Info: Contralateral

    conscious proprioception,

    2 point discrimination

    vibration

    graphesthesia

Fasciculus Cuneatus: trunk, neck and UE

Fasciculus Gracilis: trunk and LE

Question 2

Ascending Tracks: Spinocerebellar

Answer 2

Info: ipsilateral unconscious postural information from spindles/GTOs, proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, and posture

Dorsal/posterior: legs and lower half of body

Ventral/cuneo: arms and upper half of body

Question 3

Ascending Tracks: Spino-Olivary Tract

Answer 3

ascends to the cerebellum and relays information from cutaneous and proprioceptive organs

Question 4

Ascending Tracks: Spinoreticular Tract

Answer 4

Info: ipsilateral arrousal, attention, sleep/wake cycles and attention to p!

the afferent pathway for the reticular formationthat influences levels of consciousness

Question 5

Ascending Tracks: Spinotectal Tract

Answer 5

Info: Contralateral information for spinovisual reflexes and assists with movement of eyes and head towards a stimulis

Question 6

Ascending Tracks: Spinothalamic Tract

Answer 6

Info: contralateral fast pain, temp, coarse touch

Question 7

Descending Tracts: Corticospinal Tract

Answer 7

Anterior: ipsilateral voluntary, discrete and skilled movement

Lateral: contralateral voluntary fine movement.

Damages to this tract results in a positive babinski sign, absent superfiscial abdominal reflexes and cremaster reflex and the loss of fine motor skilled voluntary movements.

Question 8

Descending Tracts: Reticulospinal Tract

Answer 8

Info: ipsilateral facilitates flexors, inhibits extensors

extrapyramidal motor tract responsible for facilitation or inhibition of voluntary and reflex activity through the influence on alpha and gamma motor neurons

Question 9

Descending Tracts: Rubrospinal Tract

Answer 9

Info: Contralateral control of cervical flexors

extrapyramidal motor tract responsible for motor input of gross postural tone, fascilitating activity of flexor muscles and inhibiting the activity of extensor muscles

Question 10

Descending Tracts: Tectospinal Tract

Answer 10

extrapyramidal motor tract responsible for contralateral postural muscle tone associated with auditory/visual stimuli

Question 11

Descending Tracts: Vestibulospinal Tract

Answer 11

Info: ipsilateral balance, response to gravity