SENSORY NERVOUS SYSTEM

CHAPTER 3
Important Topics
• Name the major ascending tracts. Trace their pathways. Compare and
contrast between dorsal column-medial lemniscal system and
anterolateral system.
• Characteristics of transmission of dorsal column-medial lemniscal
system and anterolateral system.
• Weber-Fechner Principle and Power law.
• Define proprioception. How it is achieved?
• Location and function of sub areas of somatosensory cortex. their
Brodmann’s numbers. Features of sensory homunculus. Lesion of
somatosensory areas 1 and association area.
• Brown-Sequard syndrome
• Touch sensation results from stimulation of tactile receptors
in the skin or in tissues immediately beneath the skin
• Pressure sensation generally results from deformation of
deeper tissues
• Vibration sensation results from rapidly repetitive sensory
signals
• Tickling superficial tactile stimulation to produce pleasure,
laughter, or a twitching sensation is tickling
• Itching superficial tactile stimulation producing itching
sensation
Tactile receptors
1. Free nerve endings / Aδ & some by type C
unmyelinated fibers
2. Meissner’s corpuscle / Aβ
3. Expanded tip tactile receptors / Merkel’s
discs /Iggo dome receptors / Aβ
4. Hair end organs / Aβ
5. Ruffini’s endings / Aβ
6. Pacinian corpuscles / Aβ
 SLOW ADAPTING Movement of object over
Surface, initial contact
Continous touch
Touch, With body
of object over skin
pressure

.Merkel’s discs
Movement of
Detect high freq 30-800 cycles/sec
object over Detect cold
tissue vibration,
Surface, low freq vib
2-80 cycles/sec

Heavy prolong touch, SLOW ADAPTING

SLOW SLOW ADAPTING
pressure signals, signals
ADAPTING Detect tendon
Degree of joint rotation Detect muscle length
tension

MERKEL DISCS, RUFFINI’S ENDINGS, GOLGI TENDON ORGAN & MUSCLE SPINDLE------SLOW ADAPTING
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

1. Free skin & deep detect touch & pressure A delta rapid
Nerve endings tissues

superficial tickle & itching type C

skin
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

2. Meissner’s non hairy Initial movement of objects A beta rapid

Corpuscle skin over surface of skin (adapt in a
(fingertips, low frequency vibration fraction of sec)
lips etc) (2-80 cycles/sec)
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

Merkel’s discs

3. Expande skin localize continuous touch A beta slow adapting

3. Expanded and determine texture
Tip receptor ( both hairy initially strong
+ non hairy) signal then
continuing
weaker signal
are grouped together
as Iggo dome receptor
 AFFERENT

(MERKEL DISCS ARE OFTEN GROUPED TOGETHER

IN A RECEPTOR ORGAN) AN IGGO DOME
RECEPTOR
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

4. Hair end hairy skin i) movement of objects A beta rapidly adapting

organ over surface of skin
ii) initial contact with the
body
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

5. Ruffini’s deep skin i) detect heavy prolong A beta adapt very slowly
endings and deep touch and pressure signals
tissues ii) signal degree of joint
joint capsule rotation
• Tactile Location Function Nerve fiber Adaptability
Receptor type

6. Pacinian deep skin i) detect high frequency A beta rapidly adapting

corpuscles and deep tissue vibration(30-800
tissues cycles/sec)
ii) rapid local
compression of tissues
• Low frequency vibration---------Meissner corpuscle
• High frequency vibration------- pacininan corpuscle
• Pressure-----Ruffini nerve endings
NERVE FIBERS CARRYING TACTILE SENSATIONS
• Meissner’s and Pacinian corpuscle, Iggo dome receptor,
• hair receptor and ruffini’s endings
• ( fine touch and pressure, vibration)

free nerve endings

carrying touch and pressure

C free nerve endings

(unmyelinated) carrying crude touch and pressure, tickle and
itching sensations
• All the sensory information from all over the body enters the spinal
cord through dorsal roots of the spinal cord

•MAJOR ASCENDING TRACTS

1. DORSAL COLUMN MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM
2. ANTEROLATERAL OR SPINOTHALAMIC SYSTEM
3. SPINOCEREBELLAR SYSTEM
Posterior and anterior spinocerebellar tracts
•Miscellaneous ascending tracts of the
spinal cord
• Spinotectal tract
• Spino-olivary tract
• Spinoreticular tract and many others
SENSORY PATHWAYS FOR TRANSMISSION
OF SENSATIONS

Dorsal Column- Medial Lemniscal System

1. Fine touch with discrete localization

2. Fine Pressure sensation
3. Vibratory sensation
4. Proprioception (position sense)
5. 2 point discrimination and stereognosis
SENSORY PATHWAYS FOR TRANSMISSION
OF SENSATIONS

Anterolateral System
1. Crude touch, crude pressure
2. Temperature (warm and cold)
3. Pain
4. Tickle & itch sensation
5. Sexual sensation
STRUCTURE OF SPINAL CORD
SULCUS

FISSURE
• Dorsal horns of spinal cord are
divided into 7 laminae
Lamina VII receives afferents
from both sides of the body
whereas other laminae receive
only unilateral input.
• Lamina II & part of lamina III
make up Substantia Gelatinosa
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM
sulcus
1. Upon entering the spinal cord
through the spinal nerve dorsal
roots, the large myelinated nerve
fibers from the specialized
mechanoreceptors divides into a
medial and a lateral branch
2. Medial branch turns medially
first then upward in the dorsal
column ascending upward all the
way to the brain.

fissure
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

3. Lateral branch enters the dorsal

gray horn of the spinal cord and
synapses with the local neurons in
the intermediate and anterior gray
horn. Majority of these in turn
enter the dorsal column, many
participate in local spinal cord
reflexes and others give rise to
spinocerebellar tracts
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM
G-----GROUND
4. Nerve fibers entering the dorsal
columns pass ipsilaterally and
uninterrupted up to the dorsal
medulla, where they synapse in
the ipsilateral dorsal column
nuclei (the cuneate and gracile
nuclei).
Gracile receives fibers from lower
limbs and lower part of trunk,
cuneatus receives fibers from
upper part of trunk, upper
extremities and neck
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

5. From there, second order

neurons decussate
immediately to the opposite
side of the brain stem and
continue upward through the
medial lemnisci to the
Thalamus.
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

In this pathway through the brain

stem, each medial lemniscus is
joined by additional fibers from
the sensory nuclei of the
trigeminal nerve; these fibers
subserve the same sensory
functions for the head that the
dorsal column fibers subserve for
the body.
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

6. In the Thalamus, the medial

lemniscal fibers terminate
in the thalamic sensory relay area,
called the ventrobasal
Complex (VPL complex)
 DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

3
From the ventrobasal complex,
third-order nerve
fibers project mainly to the
2
postcentral gyrus of the cerebral
cortex, called somatic sensory
area I , these fibers also project to
a smaller area in the lateral
parietal cortex called somatic
1
sensory area II).
DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

1. Fine touch with discrete

3
localization
2. Fine Pressure sensation
3. Vibratory sensation
2
4. Proprioception (position
sense)
5. 2 point discrimination and
stereognosis

1
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
1. Sensory fibers carrying pain,
temp, crude touch & pressure
and others enter the spinal
cord from the dorsal spinal
roots. These fibers terminate
on relay neurons mainly in
dorsal horn lamina I, IV, V &
VI.
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
2. the anterolateral fibers especially
those carrying pain and
temperature signals branch into
ascending and descending
collaterals after reaching the dorsal
horns forming the dorsolateral
Lissauer’s tract. Axons in these tract
run up and down for one to two
spinal segments before they
penetrate the gray matter of the
dorsal horn.
Anterior commissure
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
After multiple synapses in the gray
horn of the spinal cord, last neuron
in the series pass through the
anterior commissure of the cord to
the opposite anterior and lateral
white columns, where they Ascend
upward toward the brain via the
anterior spinothalamic and lateral
spinothalamic tracts

Anterior commissure
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
3. The upper terminus of the
two spinothalamic tracts is
mainly twofold:
(1) throughout the reticular
nuclei of the brain stem; and
(2) in two different nuclear
complexes of the thalamus, the
Ventrobasal complex and the
intralaminar nuclei
 Transmission in anterolateral pathway
• 4. The tactile signals are
transmitted mainly into the
ventrobasal complex, terminating
in some of the same thalamic
nuclei where the dorsal column
tactile signals terminate.
• From here, the signals are
transmitted to the somatosensory
cortex, along with the signals from
the dorsal columns.
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
• 5. Conversely, only a small
fraction of the pain signals
project directly to the
ventrobasal complex of the
thalamus. Instead, most pain
signals terminate in the
reticular nuclei of the brain
stem and from there are relayed
to the intralaminar nuclei of the
thalamus where the pain signals
are further processed.
Transmission in anterolateral pathway
6. Thermal signals terminate in
both
(1) the reticular areas of the brain
stem and
(2) the ventrobasal complex of
the thalamus.
A few thermal signals are also
relayed to the cerebral somatic
sensory cortex from the
ventrobasal complex
Transmission in anterolateral pathway

1. Crude touch
2. Crude pressure
3. Temperature (warm and cold)
4. Pain
5. Tickle & itch sensation
6. Sexual sensation
Overall Characteristics of Signal
Transmission And Analysis In the Dorsal
Column-Medial lemniscal System
Spatial Orientation of the Nerve Fibers in the
Dorsal Column–Medial Lemniscal System

1. In the dorsal column, fibers from lower parts of

the body lie towards the center of the cord
whereas those that enter the cord at
progressively higher segmental levels form
successive layers laterally. (SACRAL CORD FIBERS
LIE MOST MEDIALLY)
Spatial Orientation of the Nerve Fibers in the
Dorsal Column–Medial Lemniscal System
2. In medulla lower body is represented in the
Gracile nucleus and upper body is represented in
Cuneate nucleus
• Medial lemniscus is organized dorsal to ventral
representing from neck to foot
• Somatotopic organization continues through the
thalamus and cortex

G-------Ground
Spatial Orientation of the Nerve Fibers in the
Dorsal Column–Medial Lemniscal System
• In The VPL complex tail end of the body is
represented laterally and head & face medially.
• Because of the crossing of the medial lemnisci in
the medulla, the left side of the body is
represented in the right side of the Thalamus and
the right side of the body is represented in the left
side of the thalamus.
 BASIC NEURONAL CIRCUIT IN THE
DORSAL COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCAL SYSTEM

Divergence occurs at
each synaptic stage in the
dorsal column pathway
TWO POINT DISCIMINATION
tests the integrity of DCMLS
Measures the minimum
distance necessary to
differentiate between
two simultaneous stimuli
• In this test, two needles
are pressed lightly
against the skin at the
same time, and the
person determines
whether one point or
two points of stimulus is
(are) felt
caliper
TWO POINT DISCIMINATION
tests the integrity of DCMLS
• Finger tips showing high resolution (1 to 2
millimeters apart). However, on the back, needles
must be 30 to 70 millimeters apart before two
separate points can be detected.
• This capability of sensory system is supported by
lateral inhibition which increases the degree of
contrast in the sensory pattern.
• The blue curve represents the spatial
pattern of cortical stimulation when
two skin points are stimulated
simultaneously. This stimulation is
without “surround” inhibition, Note
that the resultant zone of excitation
has two separate peaks. These two
peaks, separated by a valley, allow the
sensory cortex to detect the presence
of two stimulatory points, rather than
a single point.
• The two red curves represent the
pattern when “surround” inhibition
does occur
LATERAL INHIBITION (SURROUND INHIBITION)
• Virtually every sensory pathway when excited give rise
simultaneously to lateral inhibitory signals
• Lateral inhibition blocks the lateral spread of the excitatory signals
and therefore increases the degree of contrast in the sensory
pattern perceived in the cerebral cortex.
• Lateral inhibition occurs at each synaptic levels in the dorsal column
system
a. Dorsal column nuclei of the medulla
b. Ventrobasal nuclei of the Thalamus
c. The Cortex itself
VIBRATORY SENSATION
• These are rapidly repetitive signals
and are transmitted in DCML
pathway
• In degeneration of spinal cord in
diabetes, pernicious anemia or in
tabes dorsalis vibratory sensation
threshold is increased
• High frequency signals ( up to 700
cycles/sec.) are detected by
Pacinian corpuscles 128 Hz tuning Fork
• Lower frequency signals (<200 Romberg’s test
cycles/ sec. ) are detected by
Meissner’s corpuscles
• The Romberg test is part of a neurological exam used
clinically to test for the integrity of the posterior
column pathway
Weber-Fechner Principle—Detection of
“Ratio” of Stimulus Strength
• gradations of stimulus strength are discriminated
approximately in proportion to the logarithm of stimulus
strength.
• Interpreted signal strength Log Stimulus
• Interpreted signal strength = Log Stimulus + Constant
• the greater the background sensory intensity, the greater
an additional change must be for the psyche to detect the
change.
Relation between Stimulus Intensity and the
Receptor Potential
By Increasing the
Stimulus strength the
Amplitude of
Receptor potential will
increase rapidly at first
Then progressively
less rapidly at high stimulus
strength
POWER LAW

Interpreted signal strength = k x (stimulus-k)Y

On plotting the power law relation on a graph, a linear

relation can be attained between interpreted stimulus
strength and actual stimulus strength over a large range for
almost any type of sensory perception
PROPRIOCEPTION
Conscious awareness of the position of
various parts of the body in space
Mediated by skin tactile receptors and receptors near the
joints (Golgi Tendon Organs, Pacinian Corpuscles In
ligaments and in the Skin, Muscle Spindles ).
1) Static position sense
2) Rate of movement sense (kinesthesia or dynamic
proprioception)
• On the body surface such as fingers half of the position
recognition is believed to be detected through the skin
receptors.
• For determining joint angulation in midranges of motion,
muscle spindles are most important receptors
• At extremes of joint angulation, stretch of ligaments and
deep tissues near joints is also an important factor. Pacinian
corpuscles, Ruffini’s endings and receptors similar to Golgi
tendon receptors found in muscle tendons play role.
• Pacinian corpuscle & muscle spindles mainly responsible
for detecting rate of movement
• Hence four important proprioceptors include
Neuromuscular spindle, Golgi tendon organ, joint kinesthetic
receptor and vestibular apparatus
Dorsal medulla

Spinal cord
Neurotransmitter receptors that directly gate ion channels are
called
--ionotropic receptors--------------------------
Act through second messenger system------metabotropic
receptors
Tactile receptors that detect movement of objects over surface
Of skin and low frequency vibration are called-------
 COMPARE AND CONTRAST
DORSAL COLUMN MEDIAL LS ANTEROLATERAL SYSTEM

(1). In the dorsal Medulla, (1). the anterolateral fibers

second order neurons
decussate immediately to the
opposite side of the brain
stem and continue upward
through the medial lemnisci
to the Thalamus then to brain
(2).Large myelinated nerve
fibers that transmit signals
at a speed of 30-110 m/sec
( high degree of Temporal
fidelity)
cross immediately in the
anterior commissure of the
spinal cord to the opposite
anterior and lateral white
columns, where they Ascend
upward toward the brain via
the anterior spinothalamic
and lateral spinothalamic
tracts
(2). Smaller myelinated nerve
fibers that transmit signals 8-
40m/sec
DORSAL COLUMN MEDIAL LS
(3). High degree of spatial
orientation with respect to
their origins
*(spatial fidelity)
(4). Transmits only Discrete
type of mechanoreceptive
sensations
ANTEROLATERAL SYSTEM
(3). Less spatial orientation
(4) transmits a broad
spectrum of sensory
modalities, such as pain,
warmth, cold, and crude
tactile sensations
DORSAL COLUMN MEDIAL LS ANTEROLATERAL SYSTEM
(5) More accuracy in (5) Less accuracy in
detection of grades of detection of grades of
intensities intensities with most of
i.e. as many as 100 the sensations being
gradations for the dorsal recognized in 10 to 20
column system gradations of strength

(6) Transmits rapidly (6) the ability to transmit

changing or repetitive rapidly changing or
signals (vibration) repetitive signals
(vibration) is poor
• Temporal Fidelity:
Accuracy of transmission. Almost no lag time from stimulus
to cortex

• Spatial Fidelity:
Accuracy of location. No convergence of signal pathway
SPINOCEREBELLAR PATHWAYS

• The spinocerebellar pathways can

transmit impulses at velocities up
to 120 m/sec, which is the most
rapid conduction in any pathway
in the central nervous system.
Posterior/Dorsal spinocerebellar tract

• Dorsal spinocerebellar tract carry signals

from muscle spindles (Ia and II fibers) and
Golgi tendon organs (Ib fibers), large
tactile receptors of skin and joints (A beta
fibers)
Posterior/Dorsal spinocerebellar tract

• These Afferents carrying proprioceptive

information enter through the spinal
nerve dorsal roots and synapse in the
nucleus dorsalis (Clarke’s column).
Thereby excite second order neuron
whose axons ascend as the posterior
spinocerebellar tract on the same side
which enters the cerebellar cortex
(vermis and intermediate zone) via the
inferior cerebellar peduncle
Posterior/Dorsal spinocerebellar tract

• Dorsal spinocerebellar tract apprise the

cerebellum of the momentary status of
1) Muscle contraction
2) Degree of tension on the muscle
tendons
3) Positions and rate of movement of the
parts of the body
4) Forces acting on the surfaces of the
body
Anterior/Ventral spinocerebellar tract
• This tract carries motor signals arriving
in the anterior horns of spinal cord from
brain through
i. corticospinal and rubrospinal tract
ii. Internal motor pattern generators in
the cord itself
(efference copy of anterior horn motor
drive)
Anterior/Ventral spinocerebellar tract
• A small number of its fibers remain
ipsilateral and reach the cerebellar
cortex via inferior cerebellar peduncle.
Majority of its fibers cross to the
opposite side and enter the contralateral
cerebellum via superior peduncle. These
fibers again cross over to the opposite
cerebellar cortex via middle cerebellar
peduncle; thus the fibers of this tract
ultimately end in the cerebellar cortex of
the same side.)
Anterior/Ventral spinocerebellar tract

• Double decussation of the tract

one at the spinal cord level and
other in the cerebellar white
matter
• So each cerebellar hemisphere is
concerned with ipsilateral half of
the body
LAYERS OF SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX &
THEIR FUNCTIONS

Cerebral cortex contains six layers of neurons

From outer to inner (layer I Layer VI)

• Layer I input diffuse, non specific signals from
lower brain(controls overall brain excitability)

• Layer II send signals to related portions of opposite

cerebral cortex (through corpus callosum)
• Layer III

Layer IV Sensory signals enter here then spreads

upwards and downwards

• Layer V output signals to basal ganglia, brain stem &

spinal cord (control signal transmission)
• Layer VI output signals to thalamus (control excitatory
levels of incoming sensory signals to thalamus)
 LAYERS OF CEREBRAL CORTEX
Layer I: Molecular layer

Layer II: External granular

layer

Layer III: Layer of

pyramidal cells

Layer IV: Internal granular

layer

Layer V: Large pyramidal

cell layer

Layer VI: Layer of fusiform

or polymorphic cells
•NEURONAL COLUMNS
• Functionally, the neurons of the somatosensory
cortex are arranged in vertical columns extending
all the way through the six layers of the cortex.
• each column having a diameter of 0.3 to 0.5
millimeter and containing perhaps 10,000
neuronal cell bodies.
• Each of these columns serves a single specific
sensory modality
• Some columns respond to stretch receptors’
stimulation, some to tactile stimuli and others to
pressure receptors’ activation
 SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX
Human cerebral cortex is divided into 50 distinct areas based
on histological and structural differences
• Central fissure/ central sulcus
• Parietal lobe / somatosensory area1 & 2
• Occipital lobe / visual signals
• Temporal lobe / auditory signals
• Frontal lobe / motor cortex
SOMATOSENSORY AREAS

Area 3, 1, 2
Brodmann’s area 5, 7a
BRODMANN’S AREAS OF HUMAN CEREBRAL CORTEX
Central sulcus Somatosensory area I
Somatosensory
association area
SOMATOSENSORY
Central sulcus
AREA I, II and Brodmann’s area
3, 1, 2
Somatosensory
Association
area
SOMATOSENSORY AREA I
• Brodmann’s areas 3,1 and 2
• Lies immediately behind the central
sulcus, in the post central gyrus,
in the parietal lobe.

• A map of the surface of the body

and face of a human on the
postcentral gyrus is called a
sensory homunculus
• each lateral side of the
cortex receives sensory
information almost
exclusively from the
opposite side of the
body. However area for
face is represented on
both sides of cerebral
cortex
SOMATOSENSORY AREA I

• Has high degree of localization

of different parts of the body
• Body is represented upside down,
head in the most lateral portion
and the lower part of the body
is represented medially in
somatosensory area I,
SOMATOSENSORY AREA I
• Area representation α no of sensory
receptors
largest area: lips followed by face
and thumb
small area: Trunk and lower body
SOMATOSENSORY AREA I
Most anterior portion of the
post central gyrus, located deep
in the central fissure in 3A, respond to muscle, tendon and
joint stretch receptors.
As we move posteriorly in Somatosensory area 1, vertical
columns respond to slow adapting cutaneous receptors and
still further posterior to deep pressure.
In most posterior portion of somatosensory area 1, vertical
columns respond only when a stimulus moves across the skin
in a specific direction
 Functions of somatosensory area I
• After a bilateral lesion/ excision
i. there is loss of discrete localization of sensations
ii. Unable to judge critical degree of pressure sense
iii. loss of Graphesthesia & Astereognosis
unable to judge weight, shape and texture of
materials ---astereognosis
iv. Pain & temperature sensation is preserved in
quality and intensity although poorly localized
Graphesthesia is the ability to recognize writing Stereognosis
on the skin purely by the sensation of touch.
SOMATOSENSORY AREA II
• Located in superior bank of lateral
• Fissure
• It is less extensive than
Somatosensory area I
• Localization is poor in SSA II
(face is represented anteriorly,
arms centrally and legs posteriorly)
SOMATOSENSORY AREA II
It receives projections from
somatosensory area I, signals from
visual and auditory cerebral areas
and brain stem
• Removal of SSA II has no apparent
effect on sensory perception of area I
Somatosensory Association Areas
Located in the parietal cortex behind somatosensory
area 1 (Brodmann’s area 5 & 7A)

Combines information from multiple points in

primary somatosensory area, thalamus (ventrobasal
and other nuclei), visual cortex and auditory cortex
and deciphers/interprets deeper meanings of
sensory information
SOMATOSENSORY ASSOCIATION AREA OF CEREBRAL
CORTEX LOCATED IN PARIETAL CORTEXBEHIND SSA1
Lesion of Somatosensory Association Area
• AMORPHOSYNTHESIS
• Condition in which patient experiences unilateral inattention to
sensory input.
• Usually left side of the body is affected d/t damage to right parietal
somatosensory association area
• Features are
PERSON LOSES THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE
COMPLEX OBJECTS AND FORMS FELT ON THE
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BODY
 Lesion of somatosensory association
area (continued)
 loses most of the sense of form of his or her own body or body
parts on the opposite side. the person forgets that it is there.
Therefore, the person also often forgets to use the other side for
motor functions as well.
Likewise, when feeling objects, the person tends to recognize only
one side of the object and forgets that the other side even exists.
This complex sensory deficit is called Amorphosynthesis
LESION OF SOMATOSENSORY ASSOCIATION AREA
AMORPHOSYNTHESIS

Patient ignores
Left side
 AMORPHOSYNTHESIS

Cancellation test--- done in patient having Amorphosynthesis

Cancels only the lines on the right side, ignores left side
Loss/destruction of somatosensory
cortex---summary
• Fine /critical touch sensation is lost while crude tactile
sensation remains
• On the other hand it has little effect on the perception of
pain sensation &
• Moderate effect on the temperature sense
CORTICOFUGAL SIGNALS
• These fibers are almost entirely inhibitory
• Are transmitted from cerebral cortex to lower sensory areas
of thalamus medulla and spinal cord.
1. it decreases lateral spread of the sensory signals into
adjacent neurons and, therefore, increases the degree of
sharpness in the signal pattern.
2. it keeps the sensory system operating in a range of
sensitivity that is not so low not so high.
This principle of corticofugal sensory control is used by all
sensory systems, not only the somatic system.
DERMATOMES • “Dermatome is the area of skin that
is supplied by a single spinal nerve”
• There are 33 verterbrae:7 cervical
(neck), 12 thoracic (chest), 5 lumbar
(back), 5 sacral (fused) and 3-5
coccygeal (fused) vertebrae.
• There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves:
8 cervical nerves (C1 being an exception
with no dermatome), 12 thoracic
nerves, 5 lumbar nerves, 5 sacral nerves
and 1 coccygeal nerve
DERMATOMES

• Each of these nerves relays sensation

(including pain) from a particular region
of skin to the brain.