Neuro 13 Descending Tracts Student

DESCENDING TRACTS
Fiber Types
A Fibers:
Somatic, myelinated. Alpha (): Largest, also referred to as Type I. Beta (): Also referred to as Type II. Gamma (): Delta (): Smallest, referred to as Type IV.
Fiber Types
B Fibers:
Lightly myelinated. Preganglionic fibers of ANS. C Fibers: Unmyelinated. Found in somatic and autonomic systems. Also referred to as Type IV fibers.
Fiber Types
Sensory fibers are either:

A- or A- fibers: Conduction rate = 30-120 m/sec. A- fibers: Conduction rate = 4-30 m/sec. C fibers: Conduction rate is less than 2.5m/sec.
Fiber Types
Nociceptors and thermoreceptors are related to C fibers or A- fibers.
Generalizations: Motor Paths
Typical descending pathway consists of a series of two motor neurons:

Upper motor neurons (UMNs) Lower motor neurons (LMNs) Does not take into consideration the association neurons between UMNs and LMNs
Upper Motor Neurons

Are entirely within the CNS. Originate in:
Cerebral cortex Cerebellum Brainstem
Form descending tracts
Lower Motor Neurons

Begin in CNS. From anterior horns of spinal cord. From brainstem cranial nerve nuclei. Made up of alpha motor neurons (A-). Make up spinal and cranial nerves.
UMN Classification
Classified according to where they synapse in the ventral horn:

Medial activation system:
Innervate postural and girdle muscles
Lateral activation system:

Associated with distally located muscles used for fine movements
Nonspecific activating system:

Facilitate local reflex arcs
Pyramidal System
Characteristics:
Upper motor neurons:
75 85% Decussate in pyramids. Remainder decussate near synapse with lower motor neurons. Most synapse with association neurons in spinal cord central gray.
Pyramidal System
Components:
Corticospinal Tract Corticobulbar Tract
Corticospinal Tract Divisions
Lateral corticospinal tract:

Made up of corticospinal fibers that have crossed in medulla. Supply all levels of spinal cord.
Anterior corticospinal tract:

Made up of uncrossed corticospinal fibers that cross near level of synapse with LMNs. Supply neck and upper limbs.
Corticospinal Tract Functions
Add speed and agility to conscious movements:

Especially movements of hand.
Provide a high degree of motor control:

(i.e., movement of individual fingers)
Corticospinal Tract Lesions

Reduced muscle tone Clumsiness Weakness Not complete paralysis Note: complete paralysis results if both pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems are involved (as is often the case).
Corticobulbar Tract
Innervates the head Most fibers terminate in reticular formation near cranial nerve nuclei. Association neurons:
Leave reticular formation and synapse in cranial nerve nuclei. Synapse with lower motor neurons.
Extrapyramidal System
Includes descending motor tracts that do not pass through medullary pyramids or corticobulbar tracts. Includes:
Rubrospinal tracts Vestibulospinal tracts Reticulospinal tracts
Rubrospinal Tract
Begins in red nucleus. Decussates in midbrain. Descends in lateral funiculus (column). Function closely related to cerebellar function. Lesions:
Impairment of distal arm and hand movement. Intention tremors (similar to cerebellar lesions)
Vestibulospinal Tract
Originates in vestibular nuclei:

Receives major input from vestibular nerve:
(CN VIII)
Descends in anterior funiculus (column). Synapses with LMNs to extensor muscles:
Primarily involved in maintenance of upright posture.
Reticulospinal Tract
Originates in various regions of reticular formation. Descends in anterior portion of lateral funiculus (column). Thought to mediate larger movements of trunk and limbs that do not require balance or fine movements of upper limbs.
BASAL NUCLEI
Basal Ganglia Functions

Compare proprioceptive information and movement commands. Sequence movements. Regulate muscle tone and muscle force. May be involved in selecting and inhibiting specific motor synergies.

Basal ganglia are vital for normal movement but they have no direct connections with lower motor neurons. Influence LMNs:
Through planning areas of cerebral cortex. Pedunculopontine nucleus of midbrain.

Basal nuclei set organisms level of responsiveness to stimuli. Extrapyramidal disorders are associated with basal nuclei pathology:
Negative symptoms of underresponsiveness:

Akinesias i.e. Parkinson disease
Positive symptoms of over-responsiveness:

Choreas, athetoses, ballisms i.e. Huntingtons chorea
Basal Nuclei Components

Corpus striatum Substantia nigra (within the midbrain) Subthalamic nuclei (diencephalon) Red nucleus (?) Claustrum (?) Nucleus accumbens (?)
Corpus Striatum
Composed of caudate nucleus + lentiform nucleus:

Striatum = caudate nucleus + putamen. Pallidum = globus pallidus. Putamen + globus pallidus = lentiform nucleus.
Controls large subconscious movements of the skeletal muscles. The globus pallidus regulates muscle tone.
Corpus Striatum
Corpus Striatum
(Telencephalon)
Striatum
Pallidum
Caudate Nucleus
Putamen
Globus Pallidus
Substantia Nigra Subdivisions

Dorsal
pars compacta:
Has melanin containing neurons and dopaminergic neurons.

Ventral
pars reticularis:
Has iron-containing glial cells. Has serotonin and GABA (no melanin).
Substantial Nigra
Substantia Nigra
Mesencephalon
Dorsal Pars compacta
Ventral Pars reticularis
Melanin containing neurons Dopaminergic neurons
Iron-containing glial cells Serotonin and GABA
Input Nuclei
Striatum
Caudate nucleus Putamen Nucleus accumbens
Receive widespread input from:

Neocortex Intralaminar nuclei Substantia nigra Dorsal raphe nucleus
Input Nuclei
Striatum projects to:

Globus pallidus Substantia nigra
Pars reticularis
Via gabaminergic fibers
Motor and sensory cortices project to putamen. Association areas of all lobes project to caudate nucleus.
Output Nuclei
Globus pallidus (medial part) Substantia nigra:
Pars reticularis
Ventral pallidum Fibers project to:
VA/VL nuclei Mostly inhibitory
General Core Circuit

Cerebral cortex to: Striatum to: Globus pallidus to: Thalamus to: Portions of motor cortex to: Upper motor neurons
Thalamic Fasciculi
Ansa
lenticularis:
Consists of fibers from dorsal portion of globus pallidus. Loops under internal capsule. To VA/VL complex.
Thalamic Fasciculi
Lenticular
fasciculus:
Consists of fibers from ventral portion of globus pallidus. Passes across the internal capsule. To VA/VL complex.
Dopamine Neuronal System

Consists of nigrostriatal fibers From pars compacta of substantia nigra To striatum Dopaminergic
Direct Basal Ganglia Circuit

Motor cortex projects to putamen:

Excitatory (glutamate)
Putamen projects to output nuclei (globus pallidus internus and substantia nigra reticularis):
Inhibitory (GABA and substance P)
Basal Ganglia Connections

Red = excitatory; Black = Inhibitory
Motor areas of cerebral cortex Ventrolateral thalamus
Putamen
Globus pallidus externus Output nuclei PedunculoPontine nuclei Reticulospinal and Vestibulospinal pathways Subthalamic nuclei Substantia nigra compacta Lateral Activation pathways
Output nuclei project to motor thalamus (VA-VL) and pedunculopontine nuclei:

Inhibitory (GABA)
Ventrolateral (VA-VL) thalamus projects to motor cortex:

Excitatory
Therefore:
Increasing input to putamen increases activity in corticofugal fibers

Pedunculopontine nuclei project to reticulospinal and vestibulospinal pathways. Stimulation of pedunculopontine nuclei elicit rhythmical behaviors such as locomotor patterns.
Indirect Basal Ganglia Circuit

Motor cortex to putamen:

Putamen to globus pallidus externus:

Inhibitory (GABA and enkephalins)
Globus pallidus externus to subthalamic nuclei:

Inhibition (GABA)
Subthalamic nuclei to output nuclei (substantia nigra reticularis)

Output nuclei to VA-VL complex (motor thalamus)

Inhibitory (GABA)

VA-VL complex to motor cortex:

Excitatory
Therefore: decrease in corticofugal pathways.
Input from Substantia Nigra Compacta
Projects to putamen:
Excitatory (dopamine) Two kinds of receptors in basal ganglia circuit:
D1: facilitates activity in direct pathway D2: inhibits activity in indirect pathway

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DESCENDING TRACTS

Sensory fibers are either:

Nociceptors and thermoreceptors are related to C fibers or A- fibers.

Generalizations: Motor Paths

Typical descending pathway consists of a series of two motor neurons:

Upper Motor Neurons

Cerebral cortex Cerebellum Brainstem

Form descending tracts

Lower Motor Neurons

Classified according to where they synapse in the ventral horn:

Lateral activation system:

Nonspecific activating system:

Corticospinal Tract Divisions

Lateral corticospinal tract:

Anterior corticospinal tract:

Corticospinal Tract Functions

Add speed and agility to conscious movements:

Provide a high degree of motor control:

Corticospinal Tract Lesions

Rubrospinal tracts Vestibulospinal tracts Reticulospinal tracts

Originates in vestibular nuclei:

Descends in anterior funiculus (column). Synapses with LMNs to extensor muscles:

Primarily involved in maintenance of upright posture.

Basal Ganglia Functions

Basal Ganglia Functions

Through planning areas of cerebral cortex. Pedunculopontine nucleus of midbrain.

Basal Ganglia Functions

Negative symptoms of underresponsiveness:

Positive symptoms of over-responsiveness:

Basal Nuclei Components

Composed of caudate nucleus + lentiform nucleus:

Substantia Nigra Subdivisions

Has melanin containing neurons and dopaminergic neurons.

Dorsal Pars compacta

Ventral Pars reticularis

Melanin containing neurons Dopaminergic neurons

Iron-containing glial cells Serotonin and GABA

Receive widespread input from:

Striatum projects to:

Via gabaminergic fibers

Ventral pallidum Fibers project to:

VA/VL nuclei Mostly inhibitory

General Core Circuit

Dopamine Neuronal System

Direct Basal Ganglia Circuit

Motor cortex projects to putamen:

Basal Ganglia Connections

Motor areas of cerebral cortex Ventrolateral thalamus

Direct Basal Ganglia Circuit

Output nuclei project to motor thalamus (VA-VL) and pedunculopontine nuclei:

Ventrolateral (VA-VL) thalamus projects to motor cortex:

Direct Basal Ganglia Circuit

Indirect Basal Ganglia Circuit

Motor cortex to putamen:

Putamen to globus pallidus externus:

Globus pallidus externus to subthalamic nuclei:

Indirect Basal Ganglia Circuit

Subthalamic nuclei to output nuclei (substantia nigra reticularis)

Output nuclei to VA-VL complex (motor thalamus)

Indirect Basal Ganglia Circuit