Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerve (copy)

Reflex Pathways

neural pathways for responses to stimuli

Monosynaptic

single synapse

Stretch Reflex

tapping on tendons, like a knee jerk

Polysynaptic

two type of neurons, one CNS synapse

Withdrawal Reflex

pain, so stepping on a tack you withdrawal the leg

Crossed Extensor Reflex

maintain balance from withdrawing the limb

Spinal Tract

carrying message to the body

Funiculi (fibers tracts)

big bundle of nerve fibers

Fibers usually corss over to the

contralateral side

tracts involve a relay of consisting of

two or three neurons

tracts are

somatotopically mapped

tracts are paired

bilateral

Ascending pathways

going up the spinal cord

Fasiculus cuneatus and gracilis

detect pressure and proprioception

spinothalamic

detect temperature and pain

spinocerebellar

detect proprioception

Descending pathways

motor highways sending messages from brain to the muscles

Pyramidal

voluntary movement

lateral and anterior corticospinal

control motor activity on the contralateral side

extrapyramidal

motor pathways

tectospinal (lateral funiculus)

control the head during auditory and visual reflexes

rubrospinal (lateral funiculus)

control limb muscles on the contralateral side