SPINAL

TRACTS
DR.KRISHNA MADHUKAR
DEPT. OF ORTHOPAEDICS
BHARATI HOSPITAL
 STRUCTURE OF THE SPINAL
CORD
 Anterior surface has a deep furrow –
Anterior median fissure

 Lateral to anterior median fissure there is

anterolateral sulcus – exit of anterior
nerve root.

 Posterior depression – posterior median

sulcus.

 Continues into the spinal cord as

posterior median septum

 On either side lateral to PMS –

posterointermediate sulcus and
posterolateral sulcus.

 Posterolateral sulcus – denotes exit of

posterior nerve root.
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD
 The neural substance of
the spinal cord is divided
into :

 GREY MATTER
 Dorsal horn
 Lateral horn
 Ventral horn

 WHITE MATTER
 Ventral funiculus
 Lateral funiculus
 Dorsal funiculus
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD
 Exactly at the center of the grey
matter there is a canal – spinal
canal

 Part of grey matter anterior to

spinal canal – Anterior grey
commissure.

 Part to grey matter posterior to

spinal canal – Posterior grey
commissure.

 Part of white matter between the

anterior median sulcus and the
anterior grey commissure –
anterior white commissure
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD
 NEURONS IN THE GREY MATTER

o Anterior grey matter – involved in

motor function

1. Alpha motor neurons : multipolar cells

–axons leave spinal cord through
anterior root and end in skeletal
muscle fibre.

2. Gamma motor neurons : smaller cells

which are scattered among alpha
motor neurons which send axons to
the intrafusal fibres of the muscle
spindle.

3. Renshaw cells : also smaller cells

which are inhibitory neurons
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD
 Neurons in the
lateral grey matter

 Clusters of nerve cells

called intermediolateral
horn cells which give
rise to sympathetic
preganglionic fibers,
which leave the spinal
cord through the
anterior nerve root.
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD

 Neurons in the posterior grey horn –

receive impulses from various receptors
of the body through posterior nerve root.

1. Substantia Gelatinosa of Rolando : cap

of gelatinous material at the apex of the
posterior horn – small nerve cells.

2. Marginal cells : cover the substantia

gelatinosa ot the tip of the posterior
horn.

3. Chief sensory cells : situated in the

remaining parts of the posterior horn.

4. Clarke’s column of cells : occupy the

inner part of the posterior horn
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE
SPINAL CORD

 White matter is a collection of

myelinated and non myelinated nerve
fibers.
 SPINAL TRACTS

 ASCENDING TRACTS : Carry sensory

impulses from spinal cord to brain.

 DESCENDING TRACTS : Carry motor

impulses from brain to spinal cord.
SPINAL TRACTS
ASCENDING TRACTS OF SPINAL
CORD
WHITE FUNICULUS TRACT
Anterior funiculus 1. Anterior spinothalamic tract
Lateral funiculus 2. Lateral spinothalmic tract
3.Ventral spinocerebellar tract
4. Dorsal spinocerebellar tract
5. Spinotectal tract
6. Spinoreticular tract
7. Spino-olivary tract
8. Spinovestibular tract

Posterior funiculus 9. Fasiculus gracilis

10. Fasiculus cuneatus
11. Comma tract of Schultze
ANTERIOR SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT
 SITUATION : Anterior
white funiculus

 ORIGIN : Fibers arise from

chief sensory cells of
posterior grey horn –
second order neurons for
crude touch pathway. First
order neurons are situated
in the posterior nerve root
ganglion
ANTERIOR SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT
 COURSE : After taking origin the
fibers ascend for 2 -3 segments in
the same side and then cross
obliquely to enter the anterior
white funiculus of the opposite
side . From here the fibers ascend
through other segments of spinal
cord and brainstem ( medulla,
pons and midbrain) to reach the
thalamus.

 TERMINATION : Ventral
posterolateral nucleus of the
thalamus . The third order neurons
from the thalamic nucleus carry
impulses to sensory cortex of the
cerebral cortex.
ANTERIOR SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract carries impulses

of crude touch.

 EFFECT OF LESION : A unilateral

lesion of this tract causes loss of crude
touch sensation in the opposite side
below the level of the lesion.
LATERAL SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT
 SITUATION : Lateral
white funiculus towards
the medial side

 ORIGIN : Fibers arise

from the Substantia
Gelatinosa of Rolando
in the posterior grey
horn – second order
neurons for pain and
temperature pathway
LATERAL SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT
 COURSE : After taking origin the fibers
cross to the lateral white funiculus of
the opposite side of the same segment
after which they ascend through
medulla, pons and midbrain to reach
the thalamus along with the fiber of the
anterior spinothalamic tract.
 The fibers of the lateral spinothalamic
tract form spinal lemniscus along with
fibers of the anterior spinothalamic tract
at the lower part of medulla.

 TERMINATION : Ventral posterolateral

nucleus of the thalamus from where
third order neurons relay impulses to
the sensory cortex of the cerebral
cortex.
LATERAL SPINOTHALAMIC
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract carries impulses

of pain and temperature.

 EFFECT OF LESION : A unilateral

lesion of this tract causes loss of pain
and temperature in the opposite side
below the level of the lesion.
VENTRAL SPINOCEREBALLAR TRACT
(Gower’s tract)
 SITUATION : Lateral
white funiculus
along the periphery.

 ORIGIN : Marginal
cells of posterior
gray horn – second
order neurons of
proprioception
VENTRAL SPINOCEREBALLAR
TRACT
 COURSE : Fibers cross
the midline and ascend in
the lateral white funiculus
of the opposite side
through the other spinal
segments, medulla ,pons
and midbrain to reach the
superior cerebellar
peduncle.

 TERMINATION : Cortex
of the anterior lobe of the
cerebellum
VENTRAL SPINOCEREBALLAR
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract carries impulses

of proprioception from muscles tendons
and joints.

 EFFECT OF LESION : A unilateral

lesion causes loss of proprioception in
the opposite side below the level of
lesion.
 DORSAL SPINOCEREBELLAR
TRACT
(Flechsig’s tract)
 SITUATION : Lateral
white funiculus toward
the posterolateral
periphery of spinal
cord.

 ORIGIN : Clarke’s
column of cells in the
posterior grey horn –
second order neurons
of proprioception.
DORSAL SPINOCEREBELLAR
TRACT
 COURSE : After taking
origin the fibers reach the
lateral white funiculus of
the same side from where
they ascend through
other spinal segments
and medulla to reach the
inferior cerebellar
peduncle.

 TERMINATION : Cortex
of the anterior lobe of
cerebellum.
DORSAL SPINOCEREBELLAR
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract relays impulses

of proprioception.

 EFFECT OF LESION : A unilateral

lesion of this tract causes loss of
proprioception on same side as the
fibers do not cross.
SPINOTECTAL TRACT
 This tract is considered as a
component of anterior
spinothalamic tract.

 SITUATION : Lateral white

funiculus , bound anteriorly
by anterior nerve root.

 ORIGIN : Chief sensory cells

of posterior grey horn.

 This tract is very prominent

in cervical segments of the
spinal cord.
 SPINOTECTAL TRACT
 COURSE : After taking
origin the fibers cross
to the opposite side
lateral white funiculus
from where they
ascend to the midbrain
along with anterior
spinothalamic tract

 TERMINATION :
Superior colliculus of
tectum in midbrain.
 SPINOTECTAL
TRACT

FUNCTION : This tract is concerned with

spinovisual reflex.
 SPINORETICULAR
TRACT
 It is formed by fibers of second order
neurons.

 SITUATION : Anterolateral white

funiculus.

 ORIGIN : Intermediolateral cells in the

lateral grey horn.
 SPINORETICULAR
TRACT
 COURSE : After taking origin the
fibers ascend in the same side
without crossing

 TERMINATION : terminate in the

reticular formation of brain stem in 3
ways
I. Some fibers terminate in the nucleus
reticularis gigantocellularis and
lateral reticular nucleus of medulla
on the same side.
II. Some terminate in the nucleus
reticularis pontis caudalis of pons in
the same side.
III. Very few fibers terminate in the
midbrain.
 SPINORETICULAR
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract is concerned

with consciousness and awareness.
 SPINO-OLIVARY
TRACT
 SITUATION :
Anterolateral part of
the white funiculus.

 Origin of fibers of
this tract are not
specific.
 SPINO-OLIVARY
TRACT
 COURSE : After
taking origin the
fibers cross to the
opposite side and
ascend to terminate
in the olivary
nucleus of medulla
from where neurons
project into the
cerebellum on the
same side.
 SPINO-OLIVARY
TRACT

 FUNCTION : This tract is concerned

with proprioception.
FASCICULUS DORSOLATERALIS
(Tract of Lissauer)
 SITUATION : Lateral white
funicular on the posterior
aspect

 ORIGIN : Fibers arise from

cells of posterior root
ganglia and enter the spinal
cord through lateral division
of posterior nerve root –
fibers of first order neurons

 Considered a component of
lateral spinothalamic tract.
 FASCICULUS DORSOLATERALIS
 COURSE : Synapse
with the cells of
substantia gelatinosa
which form the second
order neurons of
lateral spinothalamic
tract.

 FUNCTION : This tract

carries impulses of
pain and temperature.
FASICULUS GRACILIS (Tract of Goll) &
FASICULUS CUNEATUS (Tract of Burdach)
 Both the tracts are
constituted by fibers of
first order neurons of
sensory pathway.

 SITUATION : Posterior
white funiculus divided by
posterior intermediate
septum.

 ORIGIN : Cell bodies in

the posterior root ganglion
.
FASICULUS GRACILIS (Tract of Goll)
& FASICULUS CUNEATUS (Tract of
Burdach)
 COURSE :

After entering the spinal

cord the fibers ascend
through the posterior white
funiculus with fasiculus
gracilis carrying fibers from
the sacral, lumbar and
lower thoracic ganglia and
fasiculus cuneatus carrying
fibers from the upper
thoracic and cervical
ganglia of the posterior
nerve root.
 FASICULUS GRACILIS (Tract of Goll) &
FASICULUS CUNEATUS (Tract of Burdach)

 TERMINATION : Nucleus gracilis and

nucleus cuneatus in the medulla
respectively.

 The cells of these medullary nucleii form

the second order neurons which form the
internal arcuate fibers after crossing the
midline .

 The fibers then ascend through pons and

midbrain as medial lemniscus.

 Fibers of the medial leminiscus terminate

in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the
thalamus.

 From here the third order neurons relay to

sensory area of cerebral cortex.
FASICULUS GRACILIS (Tract of Goll)
& FASICULUS CUNEATUS (Tract of
Burdach)
 FUNCTIONS

 Fine sensation
 Tactile localization
 Tactile discrimination
 Sensation of vibration
 Proprioception
 Stereognosis
FASICULUS GRACILIS (Tract of Goll)
& FASICULUS CUNEATUS (Tract of
Burdach)
 EFFECT OF LESION – Symptoms appear on
the same side of below the level of lesion.

 Loss of fine sensation

 Loss of tactile localization
 Loss of tactile discrimination
 Loss of vibratory sense.
 Astereognosis
 Loss of proprioception
 COMMA TRACT OF SCHULTZE

 This tract is situated between fasiculus

gracilis and fasiculus cuneatus.

 Fibers arise from the medial division of

the posterior nerve root.

 The function of this tract is to establish

intersegmental communications and to
form short reflex arc.
DESCENDING TRACTS OF THE
SPINAL CORD
 These tracts are formed by motor nerve
fibers arising from brain and descend
into the spinal cord.

 Two types :
 Pyramidal tracts
 Extrapyramidal tracts
DESCENDING TRACTS OF THE
SPINAL CORD
TYPE TRACT

Pyramidal tracts 1. Anterior corticospinal tract

2. Lateral corticospinal tract

Extrapyramidal tracts 1. Medial longitudinal fasiculus

2. Anterior vestibulospinal tract
3. Lateral vestibulospinal tract
4. Reticulospinal tract
5. Tectospinal tract
6. Rubrospinal tract
7. Olivospinal tract
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 There are 2 pyramidal tracts
 Anterior and lateral
corticospinal tracts.

 While running from the

cerebral cortex towards the
spinal cord ,the fibers of these
two tracts give the appearance
of a pyramid on the upper part
of anterior surface of medulla.

 The fibers of these tracts are

axons of upper motor neurons
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 ORIGIN :

i. Gaint cells or Betz cells in

precentral gyrus of motor
cortex.(area 4) 30%

ii. Premotor area (area 6) of

motor cortex. 30%

iii. Other parts of frontal lobe

iv. Somatosensory areas of the

parietal lobe of cerebral cortex.
(areas 3,1,2) 40%
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 COURSE : After taking origin ,the nerve
fibers converge to form a fan like
structure – corona radiata.

 From the corona radiata the fibers

descend down the internal capsule,
midbrain and pons to reach the medulla.

 At the lower border of the medulla the

pyramidal tracts on each side are
divided into two unequal bundles.

 80% of fibers cross to the opposite side

forming the pyramidal decussation
giving rise to lateral corticospinal tract.

 20% of fibers do not cross and descend

down to form the anterior corticospinal
tract.
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 TERMINATION :

Both crossed and

uncrossed fibers
terminate in the
motor neurons of the
anterior grey matter,
axons of which leave
the spinal cord
through the anterior
nerve root.
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 FUNCTIONS :

 Voluntary movements of the body

 Fine and skilled movements

PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 EFFECTS OF LESION : UMN lesion

 Loss of voluntary movements

 Spastic paralysis
 Superficial reflexes are lost
 Deep reflexes are exaggerated.
 Positive Babinski’s sign
EXTRAPYRAMIDAL
TRACTS

 Descending tracts other than the

pyramidal tracts are called
extrapyramidal tracts.
MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL
FASICULUS
 SITUATION : Posterior
part of anterior white
funiculus.

 ORIGIN : 4 different
areas of the brain stem

 Vestibular nuclei
 Reticular formation
 Superior colliculus
 Interstitial cells of Cajal.
MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL
FASICULUS
 COURSE : After origin the fibers descend in the
posterior part of anterior white funiculus on the same
side of the spinal cord.

 EXTENT : Fibers of this tract extend up to the upper

cervical segments of the spinal cord.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of the spinal

cord.

 FUNCTION : Coordination of reflex ocular movements

and integration of ocular and neck movements.
ANTERIOR VESTIBULOSPINAL
TRACT
 SITUATION :
Anterior white
funiculus along the
periphery of the
spinal cord.

 ORIGIN : Medial
vestibular nucleus in
medulla.
ANTERIOR VESTIBULOSPINAL
TRACT
 EXTENT : The fibers run upto the thoracic
segments of the spinal cord.

 COURSE : Run down uncrossed from the medulla

into the anterior white funiculus.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of the

spinal cord.

 FUNCTION : Concerned with adjustment of head

and body during angular and linear accelaration.
LATERAL VESTIBULOSPINAL
TRACT
 SITUATION :
Anterior part of
lateral white
funiculus.

 ORIGIN : Lateral
vestibular nucleus in
medulla
LATERAL VESTIBULOSPINAL
TRACT
 EXTENT : The fibers run through out the spinal
cord.

 COURSE : Run down uncrossed from the medulla

into the anterior white funiculus.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of the

spinal cord.

 FUNCTION : Concerned with adjustment of head

and body during angular and linear accelaration.
RETICULOSPINAL
TRACT
 SITUATION : Two
tracts

 Medial RST –
Anterior white
funiculus
 Lateral RST –
Lateral white
funiculus.
RETICULOSPINAL
TRACT
 ORIGIN –

 Medial RST – Uncrossed fibers arising

from pons

 Lateral RST – Uncrossed fibers arising

from medulla
RETICULOSPINAL
TRACT
 EXTENT : Fibers of this tract extend
upto the thoracic segments of the spinal
cord.

 TERMINATION : Gamma motor neurons

of anterior grey horn
RETICULOSPINAL
TRACT
FUNCTION PONTINE MEDULLARY
RETICULAR FIBERS RETICULAR FIBERS

Control of voluntary Facilitates Inhibits

and reflex movements

Control of muscle tone Facilitates Inhibits

through gamma motor
neurons

On respiration Favors expiration Favors inspiration

On blood vessels Vasoconstriction Vasodilatation

TECTOSPINAL TRACT
 SITUATION :
Anterior white
funiculus

 ORIGIN : Superior
colliculus of
midbrain
TECTOSPINAL TRACT
 COURSE : After origin the fibers cross in the dorsal
tegmental decussation and descend to the anterior
white funiculus.

 EXTENT : Only upto lower cervical segments of the

spinal cord.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of the spinal

cord.

 FUNCTION : Movement of head in response to visual

and auditory stimuli
RUBROSPINAL TRACT
 SITUATION : Lateral
white funiculus

 ORIGIN : Large cells

of red nucleus in mid
brain
RUBROSPINAL TRACT
 COURSE : After origin the fibers cross in ventral
tegmental decussation and descend into spinal cord
through reticular formation in pons and medulla.

 EXTENT : Only upto the thoracic segments of the

spinal cord.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of spinal

cord.

 FUNCTION : Influence the flexor muscle tone.

OLIVOSPINAL TRACT
 SITUATION : Lateral white funiculus of spinal
cord.

 ORIGIN : Inferior olivary nucleus in the medulla.

 TERMINATION : Anterior motor neurons of the

spinal cord.

 FUNCTION : Reflex movements arising from

proprioceptors.