NERVOUS SYSTEM

DR SABREEN
DESCENDING TRACTS OF SPINAL CORD

• Descending tracts of the spinal cord are formed by motor nerve fibers
arising from brain and descend into the spinal cord.
• These tracts carry motor impulses from brain to spinal cord.
• Descending tracts of spinal cord are of two types:
A. Pyramidal tracts
B. Extrapyramidal tracts
• Motor Cortex ( Cortical Motor Areas)
For performance of voluntary movements two levels of neurons are
essential:-
• Upper motor neurons (UMN)These are the cortical & brainstem
neurons which send motor signals through the pyramidal and
extrapyramidal tracts to the cranial and spinal motor nuclei.
• - Lower motor neurons: (LMN)These are the neurons of the motor
nuclei of the cranial nerves and anterior motor neurons in the spinal
cord, their axons, and the muscles innervated by them.
• Pyramidal system :
• Initiates & controls voluntary , fine , discret, skilled ( manipulative ) movements
• This type of movement is carried mainly by the distal limb muscles .
• Output goes to the brain stem nuclei (corticobulbar tracts ) & spinal cord
(corticospinal tracts ).
• Pyramidal fibres are comparatively slow conducting , because at least half of
the pyramidal tract fibers are unmyelinated
• Extrapyramidal system :
• (1) sets the postural background needed for performance of skilled
movements and,
• (2) controls subconscious gross movements.
• Impulses along the extrapyramidal tracts reach the muscles much faster than
impulses passing along the pyramidal tracts 
 PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
• Pyramidal tracts of spinal cord are the descending tracts
concerned with voluntary motor activities of the body.
• These tracts are otherwise known as corticospinal tracts.
• There are two corticospinal tracts, the anterior
corticospinal tract and lateral corticospinal tract.
• While running from cerebral cortex towards spinal cord,
the fibers of these two tracts give the appearance of a
pyramid on the upper part of anterior surface of medulla
oblongata hence the name pyramidal tracts
 Pyramidal Tract
• It is consisted of 3 tracts, Anterior & Lateral
Corticospinal tract and some of corticobulbar tract.
• While traveling form the cerebral cortex these
fibers give the apperance of a pyramid on the
upper part of the medulla.
• They terminate in the anterior grey matter.
• Function: Voluntary, fine & skilled movements of
the body.
• Other fibers than these 3 are named extrapyrimdal.
 Pyramidal Tracts
TRACT SITUATION COURSE FUNCTION

ANTERIOR ANTERIOR WHITE UNCROSSED CONTROL OF

CORTICOSPINAL COLUMN FIBERS VOLUNTARY
TRACT MOVEMENTS

LATERAL LATERAL WHITE CROSSED FIBERS FORM UPPER

CORTICOSPINAL COLUMN MOTOR NEURO
TRACT
 EXTRAPYRAMIDAL TRACTS
• Descending tracts of spinal cord other than pyramidal tracts are called
extrapyramidal tracts.
• The descending spinal tracts which is concerned with motor functions other than
pyramidal tract.
• They are considered as an indirect motor pathway
• They are consisted of a series of tracts:
• Rubrospinal Tract.
• Reticulospinal Tract, Dividid into 2 types:
• A- pontine reticulospinal tract. (Medial)
• B- Medullary reticulospinal tract. (Lateral)
• Tectospinal Tract.
• Vestibulospinal Tract
RETICULOSPINAL TRACT
A- pontine reticulospinal tract. (Medial &
Excitatory) Originated from pontine reticular
nuclei in pons which terminate in the medial
anterior column.
B- Medullary reticulospinal tract. (Lateral &
Inhibatory) Originated from medulla and
terminate in lateral anterior column.
Function: It Facilitates extensor reflexes &
Inhibits Flexor reflexes.
 TECTOSPINAL TRACT
Origin: Superior colliculus of midbrain.
Terminate in the Anterior Column.
Function:
• Motor function of the Skeletal muscles of
the head and eyes in response to visual
stimuli.
• Reflex postural movements concerning
sight
RUBROSPINAL TRACT
• Originated from the red nucleus
located in the mesencephalon
• Terminate in the lateral column
of spinal cord.
• Function: Motor functions of
skeletal muscles of the limbs,
hands, and feet.
• Facilitates activity of flexor
muscles and inhibits activity of
extensor muscles.
 Vestibulospin
al tracts
•  Origin:vestibular nucleus in
medulla.
• Terminate in the Anterior
Motor Neuron.
• Function: Motor function of
muscle for maintaining
balance in response to head
movements
• Facilitate activity of extensor
muscle and inhibit flexor
muscle
 POSTURE
• Postural control: involves controlling the body’s position in space for
the dual purposes of stability and orientation.

▪ Posture: describes the biomechanical alignment of the body and the

orientation of the body to the environment.

▪ Postural stability: Is the ability to control the centre of mass in

relationship to the base of support.
Types of posture:
▪ Static posture ▪ The body and its segments are aligned and maintained
in certain positions
▪ Dynamic posture ▪ Refers to postures in which the body or its
segments are moving
Types of postural tasks
▪ Steady state balance: Stability underlying sitting or standing quietly
has often been called as “static balance”
▪ Reactive balance control: movement strategies in response to brief
displacements of supporting surfaces
▪ Proactive(anticipatory) balance control: a pre-programmed force
based on anticipation of what the task requires based on previous
experiences by the CNS
Physiology behind postural control:
▪ Depends on
–Motor/ somatosensory
–Visual system
–Vestibular system
Motor systems in postural control:

▪ Motor systems ensure the generation of coordination of appropriate

muscles to control the body’s position and movement in space
▪ Motor systems include:
▪ Higher level planning: frontal and motor cortex
▪ Coordination: brainstem ,cerebellum and basal ganglia
▪ Generation of forces: motor neurons and muscles
• The vestibular system is the sensory apparatus of the inner ear that helps the
body maintain its postural equilibrium.
• The information furnished by the vestibular system is also essential for
coordinating the position of the head and the movement of the eyes.
• There are two sets of end organs in the inner ear, or labyrinth: the semicircular
canals, which respond to rotational movements (angular acceleration); and the 
utricle and saccule within the vestibule, which respond to changes in the position
of the head with respect to gravity (linear acceleration).
• The information these organs deliver is proprioceptive in character, dealing with
events within the body itself, rather than exteroceptive, dealing with events
outside the body, as in the case of the responses of the cochlea to sound.
• Functionally these organs are closely related to the cerebellum and to the reflex
centres of the spinal cord and brainstem that govern the movements of the eyes,
neck, and limbs.
Vestibular System:
Function
• Detects angular and linear acceleration
• Important in maintaining balance, posture, and vision
• Connections with brainstem, cerebellum, and somatic sensory
cortices to provide info about the motions & position of the head &
body
• Cerebral cortex Lesion of pyramidal tract fibers in cerebral cortex causes
hypertonia, spasticity and contralateral monoplegia (paralysis of one
limb) or contralateral hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
• Internal capsule Lesion of pyramidal tract fibers at posterior limb of
internal capsule results in contralateral hemiplegia.
• Brainstem Lesion at brainstem involves not only pyramidal tract fibers
but also other structures such as VI and VII cranial nerve nuclei.
• So the lesion results in contralateral hemiparesis (weakness of muscles in
one side of the body) along with VI and VII cranial nerve palsies.
• Spinal cord Unilateral lesion of lateral corticospinal fibers at upper
cervical segment causes ipsilateral hemiplegia and bilateral lesion
causes quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs) and paralysis of
respiratory muscles. Bilateral lesion of these fibers in thoracic and
lumbar segments results in paraplegia (paralysis of both lower limbs)
without paralysis of respiratory muscles.