Flashcards: Spinal Cord Pathways and Reflexes — 18 cards

Spinal cord funiculi — locations?

Dorsal, lateral, ventral columns.

Funiculi — function?

Contain white matter tracts for signal transmission.

Ascending tracts — role?

Carry sensory info toward the brain.

Descending tracts — role?

Convey motor commands from brain to spinal cord.

Spinothalamic pathway — function?

Transmits pain and temperature to the thalamus.

Third-order neuron — location?

In the thalamus, relays to cortex.

Lateral thalamus — pain?

Processes discriminative pain aspects.

Medial thalamus — pain?

Processes emotional and motivational pain aspects.

Spinocervicothalamic pathway — role?

Conscious sensory pathway from spinal cord to brain.

Motor system — components?

Upper and lower motor neurons.

Upper motor neurons — location?

In brain and brainstem.

Lower motor neurons — location?

In spinal cord ventral horn or cranial nerve nuclei.

Extrapyramidal tracts — function?

Modulate lower motor neuron activity.

Corticospinal tract — origin?

Cerebral cortex.

Reflex arc components — list?

Receptor, sensory neuron, CNS synapse, motor neuron, effector.

Patellar reflex — segments?

L4–L6 via femoral nerve.

Panniculus reflex — stimulus?

Skin prick at C8–T1.

Perineal reflex — response?

Anal sphincter contraction, tail flexion.