The Spinal Cord and the Periphery Flashcards
Grey and white matter of the spinal cord
White outside
Grey inside
How do axons of sensory fibres enter though into the spinal cord?
Through the dorsal route into the dorsal horn of grey matter
Where do motor neurones have their cell bodies in the spinal cord?
In the ventral horn
What is white matter made up from?
Tracts
What are tracts?
Axons transmitting information between higher centres in the brain and peripheral nerves = pathways
What type of information do ascending tracts take?
Sensory
What type of information do descending tract take?
Motor
What columns does white matter have?
Posterior
Lateral
Anterior
Function of ascending spinal tracts
Carries sensory information to the brain (cerebral cortex and cerebellum)
Features of ascending spinal tracts
3 neurones between the peripheral receptor and the cortex
Order of features in ascending spinal tracts
- receptor - first order neurone (dorsal root present off this)
- Reaches grey matter of spinal cord or nucleus in medulla
- 2nd order neurone - crosses over to contralateral side in spinal cord or medulla
- Reaches Nucleus in contralateral thalamus
- 3rd order neurone - to contralateral parietal cortex
What does the posterior/dorsal column of ascending tracts carry?
Fine touch
Tactile localisation
Vibration sense
Proprioception
Journey of posterior/dorsal column of ascending tracts
- Gracile and cuneate nuclei in medulla -> 1st order neurone to
- 2nd order neurone -> Crosses over to medial lemniscus in pons to the
- VPL nucleus in thalamus
- 3rd order neurone -> post central gyrus in parietal lobe
What does the lateral spinothalamic tract carry on the right side?
Pain and temp from left side of body
What does the lateral ascending tracts carry?
Pain
Temperature
Journey of Lateral spinothalamic tract
2nd order neurone crosses over at the level of entry to reach lateral column in the spinal cord
VPL nucleus of thalamus
Post central gyrus of parietal lobe
Where do motor/descending tracts of the spinal cord originate?
Within the cerebral cortex and brainstem
Function of descending tracts
Control of movement
Muscle tone
Spinal autonomic fibres