ANIKET M KOLTE SECTION: 1CR2

APRIL 29, 2022 ID: 211000475

NAME: ANIKET M KOLTE
SCHOOL ID: 211000475
SECTION: 1C R2
PHYSIOLOGY ACTIVITY

1.WHAT ARE THE TWO MAJOR PATHWAYS OF SOMATIC SENSATION?

The somatosensory system consists of the two main paired pathways that take somatosensory
information up to the brain:
• The medial lemniscal or posterior pathway
• The spinothalamic or anterolateral pathway.

2.DESCRIBE THE PATHWAY OF DORSAL COLUMN – MEDIAL LEMINSCAL

SYSTEM?
The dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway also known as the posterior column-medial
lemniscus pathway is a sensory pathway of the central nervous system that conveys
sensations of fine touch, vibration, two-point discrimination, and proprioception from the
skin and joints.
The dorsal column pathway is one of the ascending tracts i.e. the neural pathways by which sensory
information from the peripheral nerves is transmitted to the cerebral cortex. In the spinal cord, this
pathway travels in the dorsal column, and in the brainstem, it is transmitted through the medial
lemniscus hence the name dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway.

• It deals with the conscious appreciation of fine touch, 2-point discrimination, conscious
proprioception, and vibration sensations from the body except the head.
• It is one of the major sensory pathways thus have three order neurons involved in this
pathway that transmits signals from the skin and joints to the cerebral cortex.
• Somatotopic arrangement of Dorsal column pathway is lower extremity in the medial and
upper extremity in lateral of funiculus

Function: Transmit sensation of fine touch, vibration and proprioception

Decussation: Medial lemniscus
System: Somatosensory system
Acronym: DCML

3. DESCRIBE THE PATHWAY OF SPINOTHALAMIC TRACT?

The spinothalamic tract consists of two adjacent pathways: anterior and lateral. The anterior
spinothalamic tract carries information about crude touch. The lateral spinothalamic tract
conveys pain and temperature. In the spinal cord, the spinothalamic tract has somatotopic
organization.
• The anterior and lateral spinothalamic tracts. The former helps localize crude touch
and pressure, the latter painful or temperature sensation.

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 ANIKET M KOLTE SECTION: 1CR2
APRIL 29, 2022 ID: 211000475
• The spinoreticular tract, which is responsible for increasing our level of
arousal/alertness in response to the pain or temperature. The fibres ascend from the
muscles, joints and skin to synapse in the reticular formation.
• The spinotectal tract, which enables us to orient our eyes and move our head toward
the relevant stimulus. The fibres ascend to synapse in the superior colliculi of
the midbrain.

4. WHAT IS THE REFERRED PAIN?

Referred pain is pain perceived at a location other than the site of the painful stimulus/ origin.
It is the result of a network of interconnecting sensory nerves, that supplies many different
tissues.

5.DESCRIBE THE PATHWAY OF THE PYRAMIDAL TRACT AND IDENTIFY THE

LEVEL AT WHICH ITS FIBERS CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF BODY?
• The pyramidal tracts are part of the UMN system and are a system of efferent nerve
fibers that carry signals from the cerebral cortex to either the brainstem or the spinal
cord.
• It divides into two tracts: the corticospinal tract and the corticobulbar tract.The
majority of fibres of the corticospinal tract cross over in the medulla oblongata,
resulting in muscles being controlled by the opposite side of the brain.
• The corticospinal tract contains the axons of the pyramidal cells, the largest of which
are the Betz cells, located in the cerebral cortex.

6. FROM WHERE DO THE INPUT OF PYRAMIDAL TRACT DERIVE?

• The pyramidal tract originates from the cerebral cortex, and it divides into two main
tracts: the corticospinal tract and the corticobulbar tract.
• Each of these tracts carry efferent signals to either the spinal cord or the brainstem.

7.WHAT IS THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LESION OF UPPER VERSUS LOWER

MOTOR NEURONS?
• Lower motor neurons are in your brain stem and spinal cord. When they get a signal
from the upper motor neurons, they send another signal to your muscles to make them
contract.
• Lesions are areas of damage to motor neurons. Damage to upper motor neurons stops
the signals your muscles need to move.

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 ANIKET M KOLTE SECTION: 1CR2
APRIL 29, 2022 ID: 211000475
8.WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CEREBELLUM IN THE CONTROL OF MOTOR
FUNCTION? GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW MOTOR ACTIVITY WOULD BE
DISORDERED IN THE ABSENCE OF CEREBELLAR INPUT?
• The cerebellum is important for making postural adjustments in order to maintain
balance.
• Through its input from vestibular receptors and proprioceptors, it modulates
commands to motor neurons to compensate for shifts in body position or changes in
load upon muscles.
• The cerebellum controls smooth movement, and when it does not develop, the rest of
the brain must compensate, which it cannot do completely.
• The condition is not fatal on its own, but people born without a cerebellum experience
severe developmental delays, language deficits, and neurological abnormalities.
9.WHAT ARE THE COMPONENT OF BASAL GANGLIA?
• The basal ganglia are a cluster of subcortical nuclei deep to cerebral hemispheres. The
largest component of the basal ganglia is the corpus striatum which contains the
caudate and lenticular nuclei (the putamen, globus pallidus externus, and internus),
the subthalamic nucleus (STN), and the substantia nigra (SN).
10.WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE BASAL GANGLIA IN THE CONTROL OF MOTOR
FUNCTION?
• The function of the basal ganglia is to fine-tune the voluntary movements. They do so
by receiving the impulses for the upcoming movement from the cerebral cortex,
which they process and adjust.
• They convey their instructions to the thalamus, which then relays this information
back to the cortex.
Definition: A group of subcortical nuclei that fine-tune the voluntary motor activity
Parts: Striatum Dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen); Ventral striatum ...
Function: Planning and modulation of modulation of movement, memory, eye
movements, reward

11.WHAT ARE THE NEUROTRANSMITTERS INVOLVED IN THE BASAL GANGLIA,

AND HOW DOES THEIR IMBALANCE RESULT IN THE FINDINGS OF PARKINSON
DISEASE?
When the basal ganglia are over- or understimulated the symptoms of tremor, rigidity and
slowness of movement occur. The action of dopamine is opposed by another neurotransmitter
called acetylcholine. In PD the nerve cells that produce dopamine are dying.

12.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMA AND SLEEP?

A coma is a prolonged state of unconsciousness. During a coma, a person is unresponsive to
their environment. The person is alive and looks like they are sleeping. However, unlike in a
deep sleep, the person cannot be awakened by any stimulation, including pain.

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 ANIKET M KOLTE SECTION: 1CR2
APRIL 29, 2022 ID: 211000475

13.HOW YOU WILL PERFORM PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IN COMATOSE

PATIENT? AND HOW YOU CAN DETECT IF PATIENT BRAIN STEM AND
CEREBELLUM ARE INTACT OR NOT?
THE STEPS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
• Stimulus is applied from the side while the patient is looking in the opposite direction.
• Gently touching or stroking the cornea with a wisp of moistened cotton. Positive
results will elicit bilateral blinking of eyes.

FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN STEM DEATH TO BE MADE:

• A person must be unconscious and fail to respond to outside stimulation. a person’s
heartbeat and breathing can only be maintained using a ventilator.
• There must be clear evidence that serious brain damage has occurred and it can’t be
cured.
• Brain death diagnosis requires presence of 3 conditions: persistent coma, absence of
brainstem reflexes, and lack of ability to breathe independently.
• Coma is confirmed when a painful stimulus causes no eye opening, no verbal
response, and no limb movement in a patient.

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