DESCENDING TRACTS

DR AXELLE SAVERETTIAR
MBBS
PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
SSR MEDICAL COLLEGE
DESCENDING TRACTS
DESCENDING TRACTS
 MOTOR AREAS
 Anterior to central sulcus
 Occupies posterior one third
of frontal lobes
 MOTOR AREAS

Primary motor cortex

Premotor cortex

Supplementary motor area

 1. PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX
 Area 4
 Lies anterior to central sulcus
 Main region of origin of
pyramidal tracts
 Divided into 2 zones:
 Area 4 ¥
 Area 4 α
 1. PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX
Stimulation:
 Discrete isolated movements
of opposite side of body
 Rhythmic coordinated
movements of lips, tongue,
mandible, larynx and
pharynx
1. PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX
 2. PREMOTOR AREA
 Lies anterior to primary
motor cortex
 Area 6, 8
2. PREMOTOR AREA
 2. PREMOTOR AREA
AREA 6

Involved in complicated motor functions

●
Change in force or velocity of movement
●
Movement made in response to visual input or spoken command
●
Two handed coordination
●
Postural support
 2. PREMOTOR AREA
AREA 8 – FRONTAL EYE FIELD
 Lies in middle frontal gyrus
anterior to area 6

Conjugat
Stim e
deviation
ulati of eyes to
opposite
on side
BROCA’S AREA 44 AND 45
 Situated in inferior frontal
gyrus
 Motor area for speech
 3. SUPPLEMENTARY AREA
 Concerned with coordinated
skilled movements (bimanual
coordination)
 DESCENDING TRACTS

Descending Tracts

Pyramidal tracts Extrapyramidal tracts

 DESCENDING TRACTS

Pyramidal tracts Extrapyramidal tracts

●
Anterior vestibulospinal tract
●
Lateral vestibulospinal tract
●
Reticulospinal tract
●
Lateral corticospinal tract ●
Tectospinal tract
●
Anterior corticospinal tract ●
Rubrospinal tract
●
Olivospinal tract
●
Medial longitudinal fasciculus
 PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
 Longest tract
 From motor cortex to last
segment of spinal cord
 Slowly conducting pathway
 50 % fibers are unmyelinated
 Pyramidal fibers pass from
motor area to
 Spinal ventral horn cells
 All motor cranial nuclei except
those supplying external eye
muscles
 PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
CORTICOSPINAL AND CORTICOBULBAR TRACT

Pyramidal fibers pass from motor area

To spinal ventral horn cells To motor cranial nuclei

PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 PYRAMIDAL TRACTS
CORTICOSPINAL AND CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
ORIGIN

●
Arise from motor cortex area 4 (from
30 %
giant pyramidal cells or Betz cells)

30 % ●
Arise from premotor cortex area 6

●
Arise from somatosensory areas I and II
40 % and adjacent parietal lobe association
cortex
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE

Cerebral cortex

Radiating mass of fibers

(Corona Radiata)

Internal capsule
Lie in the genu and the anterior 2/3 rdrd
of the posterior limb
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE

Internal capsule

Midbrain
(in crus)

Lie ventral to substantia nigra

Occupies middle 3/5th
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE

Midbrain

Pons

Occupy most ventral aspect in front of trapezium

The tract is broken into a series of scatterred bundles by
nuclei pontis and fibres of middle cerebellar peduncle
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE

Pons

Medulla

Scatterred fibres join and enter medulla as thick bundle

Occupies most ventral part (producing a separate bulge
– Pyramid)
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE

Lower part of medulla

10 – 15 % fibers 80 – 85 % fibers
Anterior corticospinal tract Lateral corticospinal tract

Do not cross Cross to opposite side

Enter anterior white column Enter lateral white column
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
TERMINATION
 End round the anterior horn cells either directly or through
interneurons
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
COURSE
 CORTICOSPINAL AND
CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
FUNCTIONS
 Voluntary movements of body
 Responsible for fine, skilled movements
 Superficial reflexes – cremasteric, abdominal and plantar reflexes

Lateral Distal limb

Corticospinal tract muscles

Anterior Muscles of trunk and

Corticospinal tract proximal limb muscles

Corticobulbar Muscles of larynx,

tract pharynx, palate, face
EXTRAPYRAMIDAL TRACTS
 EXTRAPYRAMIDAL TRACTS
FUNCTIONS
 Control movements of eyeball
 Control muscle tone, posture and equilibrium
 Control complex movements of the body
 RUBROSPINAL TRACT
Origin
●
Situated in lateral white column
●
Red nucleus in midbrain

●
Crosses to opposite side
Descend in spinal cord through reticular formation of pons and
Course
●

medulla
●
Does not extend below thoracic region

●
Anterior motor neurons of spinal cord
Termination ●
Some fibers end in cerebellum

Function
●
Facilitatory influence on flexor
muscle tone
 TECTOSPINAL TRACT
●
Situated in anterior white column
Origin ●
Superior olivary colliculus

●
Crosses to opposite side
Course ●
Descends in anterior column
●
Descends upto lower cervical region

Termination
●
Anterior motor neurons of spinal
cord

●
Movement of the head in response
Function
to visual and auditory stimuli
 RETICULOSPINAL TRACT
• Situated in anterior white column
• Neurons of reticular formation in pons and
Origin medulla

• Pontine reticular formation (medial division)

• Medullary reticular formation (lateral division)
Course • Extends upto thoracic region

• Gamma motor neurons of anterior gray horn

Terminati
on

• Control of movements
• Maintenance of muscle tone, respiration and
Function blood pressure
 VESTIBULOSPINAL TRACT
• Situated in anterior/ lateral white column
• Lateral / medial vestibular nucleus in medulla
Origin

• Descend in anterior/lateral column

• Receive fibres from vestibular division of 8th nerve
Course

• Anterior motor neurons

Terminati
on

• Concerned with posture, muscle tone

• Adjustment of position of head and body during
Function linear and angular acceleration
 MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL
•
FASCICULUS
Situated in anterior white column
• Medial vestibular nuclei
• Reticular formation
Origin • Superior colliculus
• Interstitial nucleus of Cajal

• Uncrossed
Course • Descends upto upper cervical region

• Anterior motor neurons

Terminati
on

• Coordination of reflex ocular movements and

Function integration of eye and neck movements
 OLIVOSPINAL TRACT
• Situated in lateral white column
• Inferior olivary nucleus in medulla
Origin

• Anterior motor neurons

Termination

• ? Reflex movements arising from

proprioceptors
Function
 Questions
 Differences between upper motor neuron lesion
and lower motor neuron lesion
 What is Babinski sign?
 Differences between pyramidal and
extrapyramidal tracts and how to differentiate
between their lesions?
 Causes of
1. Upper motor neuron lesion
2. Lower motor neuron lesion