Since somathesthetic sensation from each side of the body projects to the contralateral postcentral gyrus _______ must have occurred at some point along the pathway. Solution Answer: Since somathesthetic sensation from each side of the body projects to the contralateral postcentral gyrus _ decussation_ must have occurred at some point along the pathway. Reason: Somatosensory system- decussation: Proprioceptors (receptors of self -sensation & decussation) are present in the joints and skeletal (striated) muscles. These receptors sense the relative position of other body parts and balance the posture. Somathesthetic sensation from each side of the body projects to the contralateral postcentral gyrus to parietal lobe, so that initially decussations must have occurred at some point along the pathway representing a muscular activity. The overall body posture and movement is balanced by the integration of information received from the vestibular system and proprioceptors by the brain. For example, the central information in playing piano is due to severe and increased stimulation of accompanying motor areas such as premotor cortex with proper planning with proprioception for decussation. But the activation of cerebellum is a bit less compared to the propriocetion. Spinocerebellar tracts are more widely projected via dorsal column and to the cerebellum and finally the information is considerably utilized for rhythmic movements. This is pathway mainly involved in the sensory ascending pathways to process sensation & perception through a 3 neuron system finally enable “sensory information” to the central nervous system through sensory receptor to the cortex. This pathway is mainly involved in mediating discriminative touch sensation through adequate proprioception & vibration. This pathway has two white matter tracts profoundly possess a first neuron mainly through fasciculus gracilis in the medial column from lower limb (T6 and lower) & sensory information is obtained through fasciculus cuneatus: of lateral column in upper limb (T5) Features of spinothalamic pathway: This is the sensory pathway mainly involved in processing sensory information of “poorly localized touch, pressure & temperature”. This pathway is going to involve cross of sensory information to the spinal cord prior to ascending via the anterior or spinothalamic & lateral spinothalamic tracts. Interaction of these two pathways: The interaction of these two pathways are mainly through axons & spinaothalamic tracts arising into an ascending pathway to transport to the sensory information processing center in the brain. Mainly spinothalamic neurons are going to use first order neurons, second order neurons, third order neurons to enter spinal cord and synapse through posterior gray horns & these neurons are going to carry sensory information of pain, sensation etc in ventral nucleus group of the thalamus. This information is going to reach through from the Lemniscal pathway finally relaye.