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Indirect Motor Pathways

Indirect Motor Pathways

The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...

Spinal Cord: Information Processing

Spinal Cord: Information Processing

The spinal cord is an integral hub for motor and sensory information that enables the brain to communicate with the peripheral nervous system (PNS). This communication consists of relaying sensory data and transmission of motor commands.
Sensory Information Processing
Sensory information processing begins at the sensory receptors located in the skin and other tissues, which detect somatic sensory stimuli such as touch, temperature, or pain. These receptors function as catalysts, initiating...

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...

Direct Motor Pathways

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...

Spinal Cord

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord, a critical component of the central nervous system, extends from the base of the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. It is essential for maintaining physical stability and facilitating communication between the brain and peripheral parts of the body.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

Published on: January 18, 2010

Spinal interneurons providing input to the final common path during locomotion.

Robert M Brownstone¹, Tuan V Bui

¹Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Progress in Brain Research

|November 30, 2010

Summary

Motoneurons control all behavior by integrating neural inputs. Identifying last-order interneurons is key to understanding spinal locomotor networks and their roles in generating movement.

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Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Spinal Cord Electrophysiology

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Published on: January 18, 2010

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

Published on: April 18, 2017

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Chicken Embryo Spinal Cord Slice Culture Protocol

Published on: March 25, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Motor Control
Spinal Cord Research

Background:

Motoneurons are crucial for behavior, requiring precise regulation of muscular contractions.
Spinal interneurons heavily influence motoneuron activity, with some forming networks for locomotion.
Understanding spinal locomotor networks is essential for deciphering motor control.

Purpose of the Study:

To survey identified populations of last-order interneurons.
To discuss the roles of these interneurons in locomotor activity.
To establish criteria for identifying last-order interneurons within spinal locomotor networks.

Main Methods:

Anatomical tracing techniques
Physiological recordings
Genetic methodologies

Main Results:

Identification of distinct last-order interneuron populations.
Insights into the potential functions of these interneurons in locomotion.
Development of criteria for further identification.

Conclusions:

Last-order interneurons are critical components of spinal locomotor networks.
Further characterization of these interneurons will advance our understanding of motor control.
The identified criteria aid in the ongoing discovery of neural circuits for movement.