NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER

Neurological disorders are diseases of the brain, spine

and the nerves that connect them. There are more than
600 diseases of the nervous system, such as brain
tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Depression,
mania , schizophrenia, anxiety, psychosis and
stroke as well as less familiar ones such as dementia.
A motor neuron is a neuron whose cell body is located in the motor
cortex, brainstem or the spinal cord, and whose axon (fiber) projects to the spinal cord
or outside of the spinal cord. Which control to effectors organs, directly or indirectly
mainly muscles and glands.

There are two types of

motor neuron.
Types of lower motor
i. Upper motor neurons neurons are alpha motor
ii. Lower motor neurons. neurons, beta motor
neurons, & gamma
motor neurons.

The axons from the lower motor neurons are efferent nerve fibers that
carry signals from the spinal cord to the effectors organs.
Upper And Lower Motor Neuron (UMN & LMN)
 Upper motor neurons (UMNs)

• Upper motor neurons (UMNs) are the main source of voluntary

movement. They are found in the brain and carry motor information
down the spinal cord to activate the lower motor neurons, which in
turn directly signal muscles to contract.
• These neurons connect the brain to the appropriate level in the
spinal cord, from which point nerve signals continue to the muscles
by means of the lower motor neurons.
The neurotransmitter glutamate transmits the nerve impulses from
upper to lower motor neurons, where it is detected
by glutamatergic receptors.
 Lower motor neurons (LMNs)
• Lower motor neurons (LMNs) are motor neurons located in either
the anterior grey column, with motor function. All voluntary
movement depends on lower motor neurons, which innervate skeletal
muscle fibers and act as a link between upper motor
neurons and muscles.
• Lower motor neurons are classified based on the type of muscle fiber
they innervate:
I. Alpha motor neurons (α-MNs) innervate extrafusal muscle fibers,
the most numerous type of muscle fiber and the one involved
in muscle contraction.
II. Beta motor neurons (β-MNs) innervate intrafusal fibers of muscle
spindles
III. Gamma motor neurons (γ-MNs) innervate intrafusal muscle fibers
of muscle spindles
 Golgi tendon organ

Posterior horn of spinal cord

interneuron

Muscles belly
 Pathophysiology
• The sensory fibers which goes from
muscles spindle to posterior horn of spinal
cord is Ia afferent fibers.
• The fibers which goes from Golgi tendon
to posterior horn of spinal cord is Ib
afferent fibers.
• The motor neuron coming from anterior
horn of spinal cord have NMJ at extrafusal
muscles called as α -motor neuron.
• Another motor neuron coming from
anterior horn of spinal cord have NMJ at
muscle spindle. Called as γ- motor neuron
 Pathophysiology
• When there is stretch in the extrafusal
fibers, that stretch is picked by muscles
spindle and taken to spinal cord through Ia
fibers, where Ia fibers synapse with the α-
motor neuron and at NMJ there is release
of acetylcholine , thus there is contraction
of skeletal muscles.
• γ- motor neuron also influence by supra
spinal segments, they also release acetyl
choline that causes contraction at muscles
spindle.
 Pathophysiology

• When muscle hold the tension or

weight , tension is by Ib sensory fiber to
spinal cord, which has interneuron and
has inhibitory action which synapse
with motor neuron and causes
relaxation of muscles.
• It is preventive mechanism.
Difference between UMNL & LMNL