| tractus pyramidalis | A massive bundle of fibres originating from pyramidal cells of various sizes in the fifth layer of the precentral motor (area 4), the premotor area (area 6), and to a lesser extent from the postcentral gyrus. Cells of origin in area 4 include the gigantopyramidal cells of Betz. Fibres from these cortical regions descend through the internal capsule, the middle third of the crus cerebri, and the ventral part of the pons to emerge on the ventral surface of the medulla oblongata as the pyramis. Continuing caudally, most of the fibres cross to the opposite side in the pyramidal decussation and descend in the dorsal half of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord as the lateral pyramidal tract, which distributes its fibres throughout the length of the spinal cord to interneurons of the zona intermedia of the spinal gray matter. In the (extremity-related) spinal cord enlargements, fibres also pass directly to motoneuronal groups that innervate distal extremity muscles subserving particular hand-and-finger or foot-and-toe movements. The uncrossed fibres form a small bundle, the anterior pyramidal tract, which descends in the anterior funiculus of the spinal cord and terminates in synaptic contact with interneurons in the medial half of the anterior horn on both sides of the spinal cord. Interruption of the pyramidal tract at or below its cortical origin causes impairment of movement in the opposite body-half, especially severe in the arm and leg; characterised by muscular weakness, spasticity and hyperreflexia, and a loss of discrete finger and hand movements. Babinski's sign is associated with this condition of hemiplegia. Synonym: tractus corticospinalis, tractus pyramidalis, corticospinal tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| tractus pyramidalis anterior | Uncrossed fibres forming a small bundle in the pyramidal tract. See: pyramidal tract. Synonym: tractus corticospinalis anterior, tractus pyramidalis anterior, anterior corticospinal tract, anterior pyramidal fasciculus, direct pyramidal tract, fasciculus corticospinalis anterior, fasciculus pyramidalis anterior, Turck's bundle, Turck's column, Turck's tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus pyramidalis lateralis | Those fibres of the pyramidal tract that cross to the opposite side in the pyramidal decussation and descend in the dorsal half of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord; they are distributed throughout the length of the spinal cord to interneurons of the zona intermedia of the spinal gray matter. See: pyramidal tract. Synonym: tractus corticospinalis lateralis, tractus pyramidalis lateralis, crossed pyramidal tract, fasciculus corticospinalis lateralis, fasciculus pyramidalis lateralis, lateral corticospinal tract, lateral pyramidal fasciculus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus reticulospinalis | Collective term denoting a variety of fibre tracts descending to the spinal cord from the reticular formation of the pons and medulla oblongata. Part of these fibres conduct impulses from the neural mechanisms regulating autonomic functions to the corresponding somatic and visceral motor neurons of the spinal cord; others form links in nonpyramidal motor mechanisms affecting muscle tonus, reflex activity, and somatic movement. Synonym: tractus reticulospinalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus rubrospinalis | A somatotopically organised fibre bundle, relatively small in humans, arising from the red nucleus, immediately crossing in the ventral tegmental decussation, descending near the lateral surface of the brainstem into the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord at the ventral border of the lateral pyramidal tract. It terminates in the zona intermedia of the spinal cord where its distribution coincides with that of the lateral pyramidal tract; in contrast to the latter it appears not to have direct connections with spinal motor neurons. Impulses conveyed by this tract indirectly increase flexor muscle tone. Synonym: tractus rubrospinalis, Monakow's bundle, Monakow's tract, prepyramidal tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus solitarius | A slender, compact fibre bundle extending longitudinally through the dorsolateral region of the medullary tegmentum, surrounded by the nucleus of the solitary tract, below the obex decussating over the central canal, and descending over some distance into the upper cervical segments of the spinal cord. It is composed of primary sensory fibres that enter with the vagus, glossopharyngeal, and facial nerves, and in part convey information from stretch receptors and chemoreceptors in the walls of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and intestinal tracts; in rostral parts of the tract impulses are generated by the receptor cells of the taste buds in the mucosa of the tongue. Its fibres are distributed to the nucleus of the solitary tract. Synonym: tractus solitarius, fasciculus rotundus, fasciculus solitarius, funiculus solitarius, Gierke's respiratory bundle, Krause's respiratory bundle, round fasciculus, solitary bundle, solitary fasciculus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinalis nervi trigemini | <anatomy, nerve> A compact fibre bundle, comma-shaped on transverse section, composed of primary sensory fibres of the portio major of the trigeminal nerve, descending from the level of the entrance of the trigeminus in the upper pons down through the dorsolateral region of the rhombencephalic tegmentum along the lateral side of the descending or spinal nucleus of the trigeminus, emerging on the dorsolateral surface of the lower medulla oblongata as the tuberculum cinereum, and continuing as far as the second cervical segment of the spinal cord. Its fibres are distributed to the descending or spinal nucleus of the trigeminus. Synonym: tractus spinalis nervi trigemini, descending tract of trigeminal nerve, tractus descendens nervi trigemini. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinocerebellaris anterior | A bundle of fibres originating in the base of the posterior horn and zona intermedia throughout lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord, crossing to the opposite side and ascending in a peripheral position in the ventral half of the lateral funiculus. In its ascent through the rhombencephalon, the tract curves sharply dorsalward along the rostral border of the trigeminal motor nucleus, entering the cerebellum in a caudal direction over the dorsal surface of the superior cerebellar peduncle, and terminating as mossy fibres in the granular layer of the cortex of the cerebellar vermis. The bundle conveys proprioceptive and exteroceptive information largely from the opposite lower extremity. Synonym: tractus spinocerebellaris anterior, Gowers' column, Gowers' tract, ventral spinocerebellar tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinocerebellaris posterior | A compact bundle of heavily myelinated, thick fibres at the periphery of the dorsal half of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord, originating in the ipsilateral thoracic nucleus (column of Clarke) and ascending by way of the inferior cerebellar peduncle. Terminals end as mossy fibres in the granular layer of the cortex of the cerebellar vermis. The bundle conveys largely proprioceptive information originating from the annulospiral nerve endings surrounding muscle spindles and from Golgi tendon organs. Synonym: tractus spinocerebellaris posterior, Flechsig's tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinotectalis | The relatively small component of the spinothalamic tractus that terminates in the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus and in parts of the periaqueductal gray. Synonym: tractus spinotectalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinothalamicus | A large ascending fibre bundle in the ventral half of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord, arising from cells in the posterior horn at all levels of the cord, which cross within their segments of origin in the white commissure. In their contralateral ascent, the bundle is intermingled with numerous intersegmental fibres. The spinothalamic tract continues from the spinal cord into the brainstem, occupying a ventrolateral position and issuing numerous fibres to the rhombencephalic and mesencephalic reticular formation, to the lateral part of the central gray substance of the mesencephalon, and to the deep and intermediate layers of the superior colliculus; the relatively few fibres (10 to 20%) that remain form the true spinothalamic tract which enters the diencephalon and ends in the nucleus ventralis posterior (caudal part) and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus. In its ascent in the spinal cord the tract is composed of a dorsal part, the lateral spinothalamic tract, which conveys impulses associated with pain and temperature sensation, and a more ventral part, the anterior spinsothalamic tract, involved in tactile sensation. Synonym: lemniscus spinalis, spinal lemniscus, tractus spinothalamicus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinothalamicus anterior | The more anterior or ventral part of the spinothalamic tract that is involved in tactile sensation. See: spinothalamic tract. Synonym: tractus spinothalamicus anterior, ventral spinothalamic tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spinothalamicus lateralis | Synonym: lateral spinothalamic tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus spiralis foraminosus | Openings in the cochlear area of the bottom of the internal acoustic meatus through which the fibres of the cochlear nerve leave the bony labyrinth to enter the cranial cavity. Synonym: tractus spiralis foraminosus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus supraopticohypophysialis | A bundle of unmyelinated fibres originating from all cells of the supraoptic nucleus and an estimated 20% of those of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, which extend through the infundibulum and pituitary stalk to their endings in the posterior lobe of the hypophysis; the fibres convey neurosecretory substances, vasopressin and oxytocin, which are stored in (and can be released into the circulating blood from) their terminals. See: hypophysis, neurosecretion. Synonym: tractus supraopticohypophysialis, hypothalamohypophysial tract. (05 Mar 2000) |