white matter tract

lateral corticospinal tract

origin: cerebral cortex

function: voluntary fine control of limb muscle

decussate: unilateral, cross at medullary pyramid

spinal cord location: lateral funiculus

anterior corticospinal tract

origin: cerebral cortex

function: voluntary upper limb muscles

spinal cord location: ventral funiculus

corticobulbar/corticonuclear

origin: cerebral cortex

function: voluntary head/face (not eyes) muscles

pontine reticulospinal tract

origin: pontine reticular formation

function: fire spinal extensors

spinal cord location: ventral funiculus

medullary reticulospinal tract

origin: medullary reticular formation

function: inhibit spinal extensor

spinal cord location: most ventral funiculus but also ventral part of lateral funiculus

lateral vestibulospinal tract

origin: lateral vestibular nucleus

function: postural control of trunk, limb

spinal cord location: lateral funiculus

medial vestibulospinal tract

origin: medial vestibular nucleus

function: neck muscles adjust head position

spinal cord location: ventral funiculus, terminate in cervical spinal cord

rubrospinal tract

origin: red nucleus in midbrain

function: fire limb flexors, inhibit limb extensors, modulate reflex

spinal cord location: lateral funiculus, disappear by upper cervical levels

tectospinal tract

origin: superior colliculus in midbrain

function: head and neck muscles for eye positioning

spinal cord formation: ventral funiculus, disappear by upper cervical levels