Descending Tracts

Dr. Niranjan Murthy H L

Asst Prof of Physiology
SSMC, Tumkur
• Final common path-
Motor neuron

• Under the influence

of-
Segmental
Suprasegmental
Brainstem
Cortical
Descending tracts
• Movements- Reflexive and Voluntary
- Skilled and Postural

• Descending Tracts- Lateral and Medial

- Pyramidal and Extrapyramidal

• Lateral pathways- Lateral corticospinal pathway

and Rubrospinal Pathway

• Medial Pathways- Reticulospinal, Vestibulospinal,

Tectospinal, Anterior Corticospinal
Motor Areas of Cerebral Cortex
 Pyramidal Tract
• Corticospinal & Corticobulbar
• Origin- 30% from motor cortex, 30% from
premotor cortex and 40% from parietal lobe
• Course: fibers converge towards internal
capsule- Corona radiata
Lie in genu and anterior 2/3rd of posterior limb
of internal capsule
 middle 3/5th of crus of mid-brain
Broken up into scattered bundles by nucleus
pontis

Produce a bulge in medulla- pyramids

In lower medulla- 80% fibers cross to opposite

side and descend as lateral corticospinal tract

20% fibers descend uncrossed as anterior

corticospinal tract
• Termination:
directly on motor
neuron or on the
interneuron
• 55% end in cervical
region, 20% in
thoracic and 25%
in lumbosacral
region.
 Organization through the course

Motor cortex- legs medial & head lateral

Internal capsule- head anterior & legs posterior

Mid-brain- head medial & legs lateral

At each level, the fibers rotate by 90⁰

 Corticobulbar tracts
• Origin and course is same till pons

• Fibers terminate on cranial nerve nuclei

• Termination may be ipsilateral, contralateral,

or bilateral
 Functions
• Execution of skilled voluntary movements

• Anterior corticospinal tract controls proximal

& axial muscles

• Form part of superficial reflex pathway

 Rubrospinal Tract
• Originates in magnocellular portion of Red
nucleus
• Cross over in midbrain and descend on
opposite side
• Terminate on motor neurons of distal muscles
• Has somatotopic map in red nucleus
• Concerned with skilled movements
 Vestibulospinal tract
• Lateral vestibulospinal tract arise from Deiter’s
nucleus- receive input from utricle & saccule

• Medial vestibulospinal tract originates from

medial & descending vestibular nuclei- receive
signals from semicircular canals

• Concerned with muscle tone , posture &

equilibrium
 Reticulospinal Tract
• Medullary reticulospinal tract decreases tone
of antigravity muscles

• Pontine reticulospinal tract increases tone of

antigravity muscle

• Under the influence of higher centers

 Tectospinal tract
• Originate from superior colliculus

• Cross over to opposite side

• Concerned with muscles of head and neck

• Controls visually guided head movements

 Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
• Originate from medial vestibular nucleus,
reticular formation, superior colliculus and
interstitial nucleus of cajal

• Descend uncrossed upto cervical region

• Co-ordination of reflex ocular movement and

integration of eye & neck movements
 Pyramidal Vs. Extrapyramidal system
Characters Pyramidal system Extrapyramidal system

Phylogeny New Old

Myelination After birth Before birth

Functions Fine, skillful movements Gross postural movements

Damage Flaccid paralysis Spastic paralysis

Speed of conduction Slow Fast

 Internal capsule
• Mass of axons
• Laterally lenticular nucleus and medially thalamus &
caudate
• Ascending sensory fibers occupy posterior 1/3 rd of
posterior limb
• Corticospinal & Corticobulbar fibers occupy genu &
anterior 2/3rds of posterior limb
• Frontopontine fibers & thalamocortical fibers in
anterior limb
• Injury at this level causes hemiplegia
• Involvement of lenticulostriate artery
 Applied aspects
• Hemiplegia

• UMN lesions

• Pseudobulbar palsy