Last edited: 8/30/2021

34. DESCENDING TRACTS: OVERVIEW

Descending Tracts: Overview Medical Editor: Jan Camille Santico

OUTLINE II) VESTIBULOSPINAL TRACT

I) SUBCORTICAL DESCENDING TRACTS • The vestibulospinal fibers relay information from the
II) VESTIBULOSPINAL TRACT vestibular nuclei to motor neurons
III) PONTO-RETICULOSPINAL TRACT (1) Origin:
IV) RUBROSPINAL TRACT
V) MEDULLARY RETICULOSPINAL TRACT • vestibular nuclei (medulla)
VI) APPENDIX
(2) Pathway:
VII) REVIEW QUESTIONS
VIII) REFRENCES • vestibular nuclei  anterior/ventral white columns 
alpha and gamma motor neurons
(3) Types:
I) SUBCORTICAL DESCENDING TRACTS
o Medial Vestibulospinal Tract
Recall: The corticospinal tract is the major pathway for  Act on the head and neck
voluntary movements. o Lateral Vestibulospinal Tract
o Lateral corticospinal tract controls fine and precise  Act on the axial and appendicular extensor
movements muscles
o Anterior/ventral corticospinal tract controls axial
(4) Stimuli:
muscle contraction
Structures in the inner ear (through the vestibulocochlear
(1) Subcortical descending tracts nerve) detect rotational and linear acceleration, and send
o Subcortical – we are not consciously aware of these this information to the vestibular nuclei
movements
(5) Motor Function:
(i) Function: o The vestibular nuclei send fibers upward to CN III, IV,
o help/assist the actions of the corticospinal tract; and VI via the medial longitudinal fasciculus to
facilitate involuntary movements facilitate gaze and eye movement
o The vestibulospinal tract sends fibers to the motor
(ii) There are four subcortical descending tracts: neurons of the anterior/ventral grey horn with the goal
 Vestibulospinal Tract of supporting posture and maintaining balance [Martini,
 Ponto-reticulospinal Tract 2010]

 Rubrospinal Tract  alters muscle tone

 Medullary reticulospinal Tract
o The first two control extensor muscles, while the last
two control flexor muscles
 extends muscles
 changes the position of the head and limbs
This system cannot operate on its own; it is regulated by
the red nucleus
o The absence of regulation might result in extensor
hypertonus

Figure 1. Vestibulospinal Tract

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 III) PONTO-RETICULOSPINAL TRACT IV) RUBROSPINAL TRACT

(1) Origin: (1) Origin:

Reticular formation (pons) Red nucleus (midbrain)
(2) Pathway: (2) Pathway:
reticular formation  anterior/ventral white column  o Red nucleus (midbrain)
alpha and gamma motor neurons o Ventral tegmental decussation
 The rubrospinal fibers will decussate/cross in front
(3) Stimuli: of the midbrain tegmentum, then descend as the
o No cortical stimulation rubrospinal tract
o Ascending fibers send collateral fibers to the reticular o Lateral white column
formation  Intermixes with the lateral corticospinal tract
 Gives off collaterals within the upper spinal cord,
(4) Motor Function:
to innervate the upper limb flexors
o Help/assist the vestibulospinal tract o Alpha and gamma motor neurons
o Act on the extensor muscles  Alpha – contracts, shortens, and lengthens
muscles
 Gamma – keeps the muscle spindles tight to allow
firm contractions
(3) Stimuli:
o The red nucleus gets stimulation from the cerebellum
(proprioceptive information), particularly the globose
and emboliform nuclei
o The cerebral cortex can send collaterals to the red
nucleus
(4) Motor Function:
o Act on flexor muscles
 The rubrospinal tract can assist the corticospinal
tract in limb flexion
 Facilitates mostly upper limb flexion; keeps lower
limbs in check

Figure 2. Ponto-Reticulospinal Tract

Figure 3. Rubrospinal Tract

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 V) MEDULLARY RETICULOSPINAL TRACT

(1) Origin:
Reticular formation (medulla)
(2) Pathway:
reticular formation  lateral white column 
anterior/ventral grey horn  alpha and gamma motor
neurons  flexor muscles
(3) Stimuli:
o Descending connections from the cortex (cortico-
reticular fibers)
o Collaterals from ascending tracts (e.g. dorsal column
medial lemniscus pathway)
(4) Motor Function:
o Assis the rubrospinal tract
o Act on the flexor muscles

Figure 4. Medullary Reticulospinal Tract

Table 1. Summary of Descending Tracts
Descending Tract
Vestibulospinal Tract
Ponto-Reticulospinal Tract
Rubrospinal Tract
Medullary Reticulospinal Tract
VI) APPENDIX
Origin Stimuli
Inner ear detects linear and
rotational motion
Vestibular Nuclei (Medulla)
Ascending (afferent) tracts
Reticular Formation (Pons)
Cerebellum (globose and
emboliform nuclei)
Red Nuclei (Midbrain)
Cerebral cortex
Collaterals from the cortex
(descending tracts)
Reticular Formation (Medulla)
Collaterals from the
ascending tracts
Motor Function
Facilitate gaze and eye
movement
Support posture and maintain
balance by:
o Altering muscle tone
o Acting on extensor muscles
o Changing position of head
and limbs
Assists the vestibulospinal tract
Acts on extensor muscles
Assist the corticospinal tract in
limb flexion
Acts on flexor muscles (mostly
upper limbs)
Assists the rubrospinal tract
Acts on flexor muscles

VII) REVIEW QUESTIONS Which two descending tracts act on flexor muscles?
a. Ponto-reticulospinal and medullary reticulospinal
Which of the following descending tracts is purely
b. Rubrospinal and ponto-reticulospinal
voluntary?
c. Rubrospinal and medullary reticulospinal
a. vestibulospinal
d. Vestibulospinal and rubrospinal
b. corticospinal
c. medullary reticulospinal
Which of the following descending tracts receives
d. rubrospinal
input from the cerebellum?
a. Vestibulospinal
Where does the rubrospinal tract originate?
b. Rubrospinal
a. subcortex
c. Ponto-reticulospinal
b. midbrain
d. Medullary reticulospinal
c. pons
d. medulla CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

Which of the following tracts helps facilitate our VIII) REFRENCES

posture and balance? ● Martini, Frederic (2010). Anatomy & Physiology. Benjamin
a. Medullary reticulospinal tract Cummings.
b. Ponto-reticulospinal tract
c. Corticobulbar tract
d. Vestibulospinal tract

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