CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Muhammad Usman Munir

Muscle Spindle:
Muscle spindles are sensory receptors within the belly of
a muscle, which primarily detect changes in the length of this
muscle. They convey length information to the central nervous
system via sensory neurons.
Muscle spindles are found within the belly
of muscles, embedded in extrafusal muscle
fibers. these are composed of intrafusal muscle
fibers.
Upper Motor Neuron Lesion
An upper motor neuron lesion is a lesion of
the neural pathway above the anterior horn
cell of the spinal cord or motor nuclei of
the cranial nerves.
occur in conditions affecting motor neurons in
the brain or spinal cord such as:
stroke
multiple sclerosis
traumatic brain injury
cerebral palsy
Types:
1. Cotico-spinal Tract Lesions
2. Extra Cortico-Spinal Tract Lesions

Corticospinal Tract Lesions:

Loss of fine skilled voluntary movement of distal body parts.
(writing/drawing)
Loss of superficial abdominal reflex
Loss of cremasteric reflex
Loss of fasciliated responses
+ve Babinski sign (pathological version of plantar reflex
characterised by upgoing of big toe & fanning out of rest of the
toes when lateral border of foot is scratched)
Extra Corticospinal Tract Lesions:

Spastic paralysis (Hypertonia)
Clasp knife Rigidity (Rigid Limb)
Disused Atrophy
Exaggerated Deep Reflexes
Clonus (involuntary, rhythmic muscular
contractions & relaxations)
Lower Motor Neuron Lesion
A lower motor neuron lesion is
a lesion which affects nerve fibers traveling from
the anterior horn of the spinal cord to the
relevant muscles.

One major characteristic used to identify a lower
motor neuron lesion is flaccid paralysis
paralysis accompanied by loss of muscle tone.
Symptoms:
Flaccid paralysis
Loss of superficial reflexes
Loss of deep reflexes
Muscular atrophy
No Babinski sign
Fasciculation
Fibrillation
CORTICOSPINAL (Pyramidal) TRACT