SPINAL CORD, TRACTS

Numerous groups of nerve fibers going towards and coming from the brain: ascending & descending tracts of the
spinal cord.
--> Responsible for carrying sensory and motor stimuli to and from the periphery.
--> Modifies and integrates the information that pass through it.

Ascending pathways
Order of neurons:
> 1ST= Primary afferent neurons = Start at receptor->
Pathways are: * DCML pathway
C bodies in DRG ->Enter s.cord
* Spinocerebellar tracts
>2ND= Located in SC or brainstem -> transmit impulses
* Anterolateral tracts
to opposite side of thalamus.
* Spinoreticular tract
>3ND= From specific nuclei in thalamus
Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscus (DCML) pathway :
LEGS ARE GRACEFUL
Carry sensation of fine (discriminative) touch, 2-point discriminat°, vibration, conscious propriocept°.
Receptors:
1st order-neurons: Pseudounipolar neurons, C bodies in DRG, to M.O as internal arcuate fibers
1 st order neuron do not synapse in the dorsal grey horn
--> Signals from upper limbs :( C1-T6) Travel in fasciculus cuneatus. synapse in nucleus cuneatus in M.O.
-->Signals from lower limbs : (T7-C1) Travel in fasciculus gracilis. Synapse in nucleus gracilis in M.O.
2nd order-neurons: Begin in cuneate or gracilis nucleus
Receive info from 1st O.Neurons---> Transmission to 3rd O.neurons in Thalamus.
Decussation in Medulla Oblongata = Ascend to thalamus as medial lemniscus to thalamus.
Decussation of the internal arcuate fibers forms the medial lemniscus on the contralateral side.
3rd order-neurons: Located in VPL (Ventral posterolateral)
Travel through internal capsule as corona radiata.
Terminate at Primary Somatosensory cortex (Brodmann area 3.1 &2).
Anterolateral system Anterior spinothalamic tract : Carries the sensat° of crude touch
Lateral spinothalamic tract : Carries the sensation of pain & T°

Sensations from inf parts of body → carried by fibers running in the lateral part of w.column,
Sensations from superior parts of the body → carried by fibers running in the medial part of w.c
Lateral spinothalamic tract
1st order-neurons : nociceptors A-delta fibers & C- fibers, C bodies in DRG
> A-delta fibers = sense FAST pain( pinprick) OR T°. Thermal or mechanical stimuli.
> C-fibers = Slow pain OR T°. Chemical, thermal, mechanical stimuli.
Stimulation of nociceptors= enter grey matter BUT don’t synapse at the same level => Ascend or descend
a few levels of spinal cord forming Lissauer’s tract.
--> A-delta fibers = Synapse the 2nd neuron C body located in the nucleus Proprius
--> C-fibers = Synapse the 2nd neuron C body located in the Substantia Gelatinosa.
2nd order-neurons:
Carry sensory info from sub. gelatinosa to thalamus.
After synapsing with the 1st order-neurons -->
fibres decussate within the spinal cord and from the Lateral spinothalamic tract.
Synapse in thalamus
3rd order-neurons: From the ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus, travel through the internal
capsule as corona radiata and terminate at the sensory cortex.

The touch sensat° carried in dorsal column is well localized & have
better discriminative aspects, the touch sensat° carried in the
Anterior spinothalamic tract : anterolateral sys. is poorly localized and has less discriminative aspects.
1st order-neurons : Pseudounipolar, C bodies in DRG
Enter grey matter BUT don’t synapse at the same level => Ascend or descend a few levels of spinal cord
forming Lissauer’s tract.
2nd order-neurons : C bodies located in Substantia Gelatinosa.
Fibers from 2nd neuron decussate via Intermediate gray column anterior to the crossing of the
lateral spinothalamic tract. --> Ascend as Anterior spinothalamic tract.
3rd order-neurons : From the ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus, travel through the internal
capsule as corona radiata and terminate at the sensory cortex.
Types of fibers:: PAIN REVIEW
A fibers : Highest degree of myelination = fastest
--> Subdivision: A alpha, beta, delta
--> Diameter decrease from alpha to delta
B fibers : Lesser degree of myelination
C fibers : No myelination. = slowest
-->Inflammatory mediators that stimulate pain
include : 5-HT, Histamine, Bradykinin, Acid,
Serotonin, Potassium.
-->Mediators reducing threshold for pain but
don’t cause pain directly : Prostaglandin E2 -
Substance P.
These make the inflammatory mediators more
sensitive to causing pain.
Other tracts :
Spinotectal tract :
Spino-visual reflexes : Sensory information from the periphery to the tectum of the midbrain -->
Peripheral sensations (e.g., a pinprick to body) triggers visual reflexes to look at the site of stimulation

1 st order sensory neuron synapse on 2nd order

neurons in the dorsal horn of gray matter.
The 2nd order axons cross to the contralateral
side & ascend as spinotectal tract in the
anterolateral region of white matter.
Merge the with anterior and lateral spinothalamic
tract at lemniscus from where the fibers enter the
superior colliculus in the
tectum of mid brain.

Superior & inferior colliculi

Spinoreticular tract :

It plays an important role in influencing consciousness level.

1st-order neurons : C bodies en DRG, enter grey matter of spinal cord & synapse on neurons of
2nd order.
Some of the 2nd order neuron axons exit the white column → terminate on the reticular
formation.
The 3rd order neurons from reticular formation → synapses onto the intralaminar nuclei of the
thalamus Intralaminar nuclei → foci of gray matter located in the white matter septa dividing the
thalamus.
Some 2nd order neurons directly synapse onto the intralaminar nuclei.
Spinocerebellar pathways
In contrast to dorsal & anterolateral cerebral
tracts → the spinocerebellar tracts provide info of Funct° of Cerebellum → Unconscious control
same side - ipsilateral. of Proprioception
Spinocerebellar tracts transmit proprioceptive This includes :Posture,
information from the locomotor system directly to Balance,
the cerebellum, without ascending to cerebral Muscle tone,
consciousness Coordinat° of muscle mvmts
3 pathways: --> In contrast → cerebrum controls →
--> Posterior spinocerebellar pathway conscious proprioception
--> Anterior spinocerebellar pathway
--> Cuneocerebellar pathway

Posterior spinocerebellar pathway: Proprioceptive inputs from the lower limb & trunk.
1st-order neurons : Receptors in Golgi tendons & muscle spindles.
C bodies in DRG, Synapse with 2nd order neuron in Dorsal grey horn.
2nd-order neurons : C bodies in Dorsal nuclei ( of Clarke)
Dorsal nucleus is present between C8-L3 & fibers relative to Spinocerebellar tracts are present btw
C8-S2==> Fibers below L3 ascend to spinal cord to Dorsal Nucleus.
Fibers ascend to cerebellum ( enter via inferior cerebellar peduncles).

Anterior spinocerebellar pathway: Proprioceptive inputs from lower limbs.

1st-order neurons : Receptors in Golgi tendons & muscle spindles.
C bodies in DRG, Synapse with 2nd order neuron in Dorsal grey horn.
2nd-order neurons : Fibers from 2nd-order neuron move to controlateral side.
Fibers ascend to cerebellum ( enter via superior cerebellar peduncles).
Before synapse → fiber again move to contralateral side within the substance of the cerebellum.=
Therefore, provide information of the same side.

Cuneocerebellar pathway: Proprioceptive inputs from upper limbs & neck .

1st-order neurons : Receptors in Golgi tendons & muscle spindles.
C bodies in DRG,
The 1st order neurons fibers above the C8/T1 level do not synapse on dorsal grey horn. Instead,
ascend in lateral white column & synapse onto Accessory Cuneate nuclei in the medulla,
Do not confuse Cuneate nuclei with the Nucleus Cuneatus.
2nd order neuron:
Fibers from Accessory Cuneate nuclei
ascend along with Dorsal
spinocerebellar fibers to synapse in
cerebellum.
Enters the cerebellum via inferior
cerebellar peduncles.