This document discusses the ascending and descending tracts of the spinal cord and various spinal cord syndromes. It describes the three neuron chain that makes up the ascending sensory pathway and names several ascending tracts including the lateral spinothalamic, anterior spinothalamic, and posterior and anterior spinocerebellar tracts. It also lists several descending tracts like the corticospinal, rubrospinal, tectospinal, vestibulospinal, and reticulospinal tracts. Finally, it summarizes several spinal cord syndromes including complete cord transection, central cord syndrome, anterior cord syndrome, and posterior column syndrome.

1. Ascending and
Descending Tracts
of Spinal Cord
&
Spinal cord syndromes

2. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
integration / processing / modulating
stimulus
receptor neurone
motor / descending tracts
effector organ / response
PNS
transmission
lower motor neurone
sensory / ascending tracts

5. Ascending Sensory Pathway are organized
in
three neuronal chain
- First order neuron
- Second order neuron
- Third order neuron

6. First order neuron
• cell body in posterior root ganglion
• peripheral process connects with sensory receptor
ending
• central process enter the spinal cord through the
posterior root
• synapse with second order neuron in spinal gray matter
dorsal root
ganglion

7. Second order neuron
• cell body in posterior gray column of spinal cord
• axon crosses the midline ( decussate )
• ascend & synapse with third order neuron in VPL
nucleus of thalamus

8. Third order neuron
• cell body in the thalamus
• give rise to projection fibres
to the cerebral cortex,
postcentral gyrus ( sensory
area )

9. ascending tracts in spinal cord

10. Lateral spinothalamic tract
 pain and thermal impulses
( input from free nerve endings,
thermal receptors )
 transmitted to spinal cord in
delta A and C fibres
 central process enters the spinal
cord through posterior nerve
root, proceed to the tip of the
dorsal gray column
• Second order neuron
– in the dorsal horn, cross to the
opposite side (decussate)
– ascend in the contralateral ventral
column
– end in VPL nucleus of thalamus
• Third order neuron
– in the VPL nucleus of thalamus
– project to cerebral cortex ( area 3,
1 and 2 )

12. Anterior spinothalamic
tract
light touch and pressure
impulses
( input from free nerve endings,
Merkel’s tactile disks )
• First order neuron
– dorsal root ganglion( all level )
• Second order neuron
– in the dorsal horn, cross to the
opposite side (decussate)
– ascend in the contralateral
ventral column
– end in VPL nucleus of
thalamus
• Third order neuron
– in the VPL nucleus of thalamus
– project to cerebral cortex (
area 3, 1 and 2 )

13. Posterior & anterior
spinocerebellar tract
 Transmit unconscious
proprioceptive information
to the cerebellum
 receive input from muscle
spindles, and pressure
receptors
 involved in coordination of
posture and movement of
individual muscles of the
lower limb

14. • Spinotectal tract
 passes pain, thermal,
tactile information to
superior colliculus for
spinovisual reflexes
• cross the median
plane
• synapse in the
superior colliculus
• integrate visual and
somatic sensory
information ( it
brings about the
movement of eye
and head towards
the source of
information )
 Spinoreticular tract
– uncrossed fibres,
synapse with neurones
of reticular formation
(important role in
influencing level of
consciousness)
 Spino-olivary tract

19. • Descending tracts

20. motor homunculus
cerebral cortex

21. Corticospinal tract
• arises from the pyramidal cells
of cerebral cortex
– fibres travel through
• corona radiata
• posterior limb of the internal
capsule
• cerebral peduncle ( middle 3/
5th )
• pons
• medulla oblongata ( passed
through the pyramids )
– eventually fibres cross the mid
line and terminate on LMN of
anterior gray column of respective
spinal cord segments

22. Rubrospinal tract
• nerve cells in red nucleus
( tegmentum of midbrain at the level of superior
colliculus )
• nerve fibres / axons
– cross the mid line
– descend as rubrospinal tract
• through pons and medulla
oblongata
• terminate anterior gray column of
spinal cord
( facilitate the activity of flexor
muscles )

23. Tectospinal tract
• nerve cells in superior colliculus of the
midbrain
• nerve fibres/ axons
– cross the mid line
– descend close to medial longitudinal
fasciculus
• terminate in the anterior gray column
of upper cervical segments of spinal
cord
( responsible for reflex movement of
head & neck in response to visual stimuli )

24. Vestibulospinal tract
• nerve cells in vestibular nucleus (in
the pons and medulla oblongata
– received afferents from inner ear
and cerebellum
• axons descend uncrossed
– through medulla and through the
length of spinal cord
• synapse with neuron in the anterior gray
column of the spinal cord
( balance by facilitate the activity of the
extensor muscles )

25. Reticulospinal tract
• nerve cells in reticular
formation
• fibres pass through
– midbrain, pons, and
medulla oblongata
• end at the anterior gray
column of spinal cord
– control activity of motor
neurons
(influence voluntary movement and
reflex activity )

26. Spinal cord syndromes
• Complete
• Incomplete

27. COMPLETE CORD TRANSECTION

28. Sensory
all sensations are affected.
Pin prick test is very valuable.
Sensory level is usually 2 segments below the level of lesion.
Segmental paresthesia occur at the level of lesion.
Motor
-paraplegia due to corticospinal tract.
First spinal shock-followed by hypertonic hyperreflexic paraplegia.
Loss of abdominal and cremastric reflexes.
At the level of lesion LMN signs occur.
Autonomic
Urinary retention and constipation.
Anhidrosis ,trophic skin changes, vasomotor instability below the level of lesion.
Sexual dysfunction can occur.

29. CENTRAL CORD SYNDROME

30. CENTRAL CORD SYNDROME

32. • CAUSES
1. Most common cause is syringomyelia.
• others
1. hyperextension injuries of neck,
2. intramedullary tumours,
3. trauma.
4. Associated with chiari type 1 and 2.and dandy
walker malformation.
• SENSORY
 Pain and temperature are affected.
 Touch and proprioception are preserved.
 Dissociative anaesthesia.
 Shawl like distribution of sensory loss.
• MOTOR.
 Upper limb weakness >lowerlimb

33. • Other features;
Horners syndrome
Kyphoscoliosis
. Sacral sparing
Neuropathic arthropathy of shoulder and
elbow joint
Prognosis is fair.

34. ANTERIOR CORD SYNDROME
• Usually caused by
hyperflexion injuries.
• Paralysis below the
level of lesion.
• Pain and temperature
loss.
• Dorsal column is
preserved.
.

35. POSTERIOR COLUMN SYNDROME
• Occurs due to neurosyphilis,diabetes mellitus
• Usually occurs 10 to 20 yrs after infection
• SENSORY
• Impaired position and vibration sense in LL
• Tactile and postural hallucinations can occur.
• Numbness or paresthesia are frequent complaints..
• Sensory ataxia.
• Positive rhomberg sign.
• Positive sink sign
• Positive lhermittes sign.

36. • Abadie’s sign positive.
• Urinary incontinence.
• Absent knee and ankle jerk.(areflexia,hypotonia)
• Abdominal and laryngeal crisis can occur.
• Charcots joint.
• miotic and irregular pupil not reacting to light.
• Argyl robertson pupil

37. POSTERO LATERAL COLUMN DISEASE
– CAUSES;
• VITB12 DEFICIENCY
• AIDS
• HTLV ASSOCIATED MYELOPATHY.
• CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS
• Sensory
• Paresthesia in feet
• Loss of proprioception and vibration in legs
• Sensory ataxia
• positive rhomberg sign
• Bladder atony
• Corticospinal tract involvement
• spasticity,hyperreflexia ,bilateral Babinski sign.

38. ANTERIOR HORN CELL SYNDROMES
• CAUSED BY SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY
• MOTOR
 weakness ,atrophy and fasciculations.
 Hypotonia,depressed reflexes.
 Muscles of trunk and extremities are affected.
 Sensory system is not affected.

39. Ant horn cell and pyramidal tract
syndrome
• Occurs in amytrophic lateral sclerosis.
• Affects the ant horn cells and corticospinal tract.
• Both lmn and umn sign occur.
• MOTOR
• Ant horn cell-paresis ,
• Atrophy and fasciculations.
• Corticospinal tract –
• paresis ,spasticity and extensor plantar response.
•

40. SPINAL ARTERY

42. • MOTOR
• Flaccid and areflexic
paraplegia
• SENSORY
• Loss of pain and temperature.
• Preservation of positon and
vibration.
• AUTONOMIC
• urinary incontinence.
• Spinal cord infarction usually
occurs in T1 to T4 segment.and
L1
• Occurs due to
• syphilitic arteritis ,
• aortic dissection,
• atherosclerosis of aorta,
• SLE ,AIDS
• ,AV malformation
ANTERIOR SPINAL ARTERY SYNDROME.

43. • POST SPINAL ARTERY SYNDROME
• UNCOMMON
• Loss of proprioception and vibratory sense.
• Pain and temperature is preserved.
• Absence of motor deficit.