What muscles does the anterior corticospinal tract control?

The anterior corticospinal tract is involved in controlling proximal muscles, like those of the trunk. THE ANTERIOR CORTICOSPINAL TRACT IS REPRESENTED BY THE PURPLE LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE MOTOR CORTEX DOWN TO THE SPINAL CORD.

What is the function of the ventral corticospinal tract?

Function. The primary purpose of the corticospinal tract is for voluntary motor control of the body and limbs. However, connections to the somatosensory cortex suggest that the pyramidal tracts are also responsible for modulating sensory information from the body.

What does the lateral corticospinal tract carry?

The lateral corticospinal tract contains over 90% of the fibers present in the corticospinal tract and runs the length of the spinal cord. The primary responsibility of the lateral corticospinal tract is to control the voluntary movement of contralateral limbs.

Is the anterior corticospinal tract motor or sensory?

[1] While the anterior corticospinal tract assists with axial muscle motor control, the lateral corticospinal tract is the primary pathway for motor information to the body.

At what point in the brain do upper motor neurons of the corticospinal tracts decussate?

The fibers of the upper motor neurons project out of the precentral gyrus ending in the brainstem, where they will decussate (intersect) within the lower medulla oblongata to form the lateral corticospinal tract on each side of the spinal cord.

What does the Reticulospinal tract do?

The primate reticulospinal tract is usually considered to control proximal and axial muscles, and to be involved mainly in gross movements such as locomotion, reaching and posture. This contrasts with the corticospinal tract, which is thought to be involved in fine control, particularly of independent finger movements.

What is the function of the Reticulospinal tract?

What is the point of Decussation?

The decussation means that a lesion interrupting the fibers above the crossing has an effect on the side of the body opposite the site of the lesion.

Does anterior corticospinal tract cross?

In contrast to the fibers for the lateral corticospinal tract, the fibers for the anterior corticospinal tract do not decussate at the level of the medulla oblongata, although they do cross over in the spinal level they innervate.

What happens if the corticospinal tract is damaged?

When the upper motor neurons of the corticospinal tract are damaged, it can lead to a collection of deficits sometimes called upper motor neuron syndrome. A lesion of the CST cranial to the decussation of the pyramids will result in deficits on the contralateral side.

What is the difference between UMN and LMN?

The UMN (Upper Motor Neurons) are used for connection of the brain with some level of spinal cord. LMN are nerves which are either spinal or cranial. The spinal nerves have a component of Lower Motor Neuron as they are mixed nerves. Not all the nerves in cranial part of the body system are components of these LMN.

Where is the Reticulospinal tract?

The reticulospinal tracts arise in the pontine and medullary areas of the reticular formation. The fibres from the medullary portion descend in the dorsolateral funiculus of the cord near the corticospinal fibres, whereas the fibres from the pontine region travel in the ventromedial portion of the spinal cord.

How is the anterior corticospinal tract different from the lateral tract?

The anterior corticospinal tract is different in two respects from the lateral corticospinal tract in that it is ipsilateral and terminates at the level of the thoracic vertebrae. There are several tracts that constitute the extrapyramidal motor system.

Is the corticospinal tract in the medulla oblongata?

The pyramid is a discrete triangular column on the ventral medulla oblongata next to the midline. This is why the corticospinal tract is also called the pyramidal tract. Within the pyramids approximately 90% of the corticospinal fibers decussate, forming the lateral corticospinal tract.

Where does the decussation of the corticospinal tract occur?

Decussation of the corticospinal tract occurs at the junction of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord while the corticobulbar tracts decussate above each relevant cranial nerve nuclei.

How is indirect innervation achieved in the corticospinal tract?

Indirect innervation is achieved with the help of adjacent fibers of the reticular formation. Unlike the corticonuclear tract, fibers of the corticospinal tract have a distinct somatotopic arrangement. As previously stated, the corticospinal tract is derived from areas 4, 3, 1, 2.