Indirect motor pathways in the spinal cord, also known as extrapyramidal pathways, are involved in the regulation of involuntary and automatic movements. These pathways primarily originate in the brainstem and include structures such as the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which coordinate posture, balance, and reflexive movements. They modulate motor activity by influencing the activity of lower motor neurons through interneurons in the spinal cord, allowing for smooth and coordinated muscle actions. This system is crucial for activities such as walking and maintaining posture, without involving direct cortical control.
1 sensory organ - sensory nerves - spinal cord - brain 2 brain - motor nerves - spinal cord - muscles
The term for axon pathways carrying information up and down the spinal cord is "spinal tracts." These tracts are responsible for transmitting sensory information to the brain and motor commands from the brain to the body. They are classified into ascending tracts, which carry sensory information, and descending tracts, which convey motor information.
Introduction. Spinal cord reflexes are simple behaviors produced by central nervous system (CNS) pathways that lie entirely within the spinal cord. The sensory afferent fibers that evoke these reflexes enter the spinal cord and activate spinal motor neurons directly or through a chain of one or more spinal interneurons
The spinal cord transmits messages between the body and brain through nerve pathways.
The thalamus is the brain structure that directs sensory and motor neuron pathways passing between the spinal cord and cerebral cortex. It acts as a relay station for sensory information to reach the cortex for processing and plays a key role in regulating motor functions.
The corticospinal tract, extrapyramidal system, and rubrospinal tract together form the major outgoing motor pathways from the brain to the body. These pathways control voluntary movement and posture by transmitting motor signals from the brain to the spinal cord and ultimately to the muscles.
Sensory information
Nerves
Descending pathways of the central nervous system are primarily composed of motor neurons that carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. These pathways are responsible for executing voluntary movements, regulating reflexes, and coordinating motor functions throughout the body.
The spinal cord is directly attached to the spinal nerves, which emerge from the spinal cord and extend to various parts of the body. These nerves serve as crucial pathways for transmitting sensory information from the body to the brain and motor commands from the brain to the muscles. Additionally, the spinal cord itself is encased in the vertebral column and protected by cerebrospinal fluid, playing a vital role in reflex actions and coordination of movement.
Alpha motor neurons (α-MNs) are large lower motor neurons of the brainstem and spinal cord.
Spastic dysarthria is caused by damage to the primary voluntary motor pathways, which originate in the frontal lobes of the brain and descend to the brainstem and spinal cord.