Upper and Lower Motor Neurons

 upper motor neurons project from the

cortex to the cord or brainstem
– inhibitory to LMN

 lower motor neurons

– leave the cord as spinal nerves
– leave the brainstem as cranial nerves
– excitatory to target skeletal muscles
Alpha and Gamma Lower Motor Neurons

 alpha MN- extrafusal

muscle fibres

 gamma MN- intrafusal

fibres
Associated Brain Regions
Sources of Corticospinal Fibres
Direct Motor Pathways- Corticospinal

 right side of the brain

controls the left side of the
body, and vice versa

 lateral c.s. path

– hands & feet
– decussates in medulla
– 90% of c.s. fibres

 anterior c.s. path

– axial skeleton
– decussates in cord
– 10% of c.s. fibres
Motor Homunculus
Direct Motor Pathways- Corticobulbar

 generally there is bilateral

innervation from this pathway
 CN III – VII, IX - XII are included
Indirect Motor Pathways- Overview

 many UMNs converge on a

few LMNs in the spinal cord

 there is considerable
feedback between UMNs
before the LMN receives the
final message

 the summed input of the

UMNs determines the net
effect on the LMN, i.e.
excitatory or inhibitory
Indirect Motor Pathways- Interaction
Rubrospinal Tract

 related to coordinated
movements of the hands
and feet

 its role is increasingly taken

over by the lateral
corticospinal tract in higher
primates
Tecto-, Vestibulo-, and Reticulospinal Paths

 tectospinal- coordinates head and eye

movement in response to visual and
auditory stimuli

 vesibulospinal- maintains the head in the

correct position relative to the shoulders
in response to vestibular input

 reticulospinal- maintains upright posture

and facilitates smooth transitions of
movement
Motor Cortex and Associated Areas

 primary motor area issues

voluntary directive
– e.g. kick the ball

 PMA and SMA coordinate

motor activity involved in
complex, learned motor
activity
– e.g. maintain balance,
appropriate muscle
tension and joint
position throughout
movement
Brainstem Nuclei
Basal Ganglia

 contributes to execution
of automatic movements

 enforces desired
movements and inhibits
undesired

 lesions here produce

common movement
disorders
– e.g. Parkinson’s and
Huntington’s diseases
Cerebellum

 acts as a comparator
between what is happening
and what should be
happening

 makes corrections

 lesion here causes ataxia

and intention tremor