| 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) |
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| 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 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) |
| tractus tectobulbaris | Fibres originating in the deep layers of the superior colliculus and accompanying the tectospinal tract but, unlike the latter, terminating in medial regions of the pontine and medullary tegmentum. Synonym: tractus tectobulbaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus tectopontinus | A fibre bundle arising in the superior colliculus, passing caudoventrally on the same side along the medial side of the lateral lemniscus, issuing fibres terminating in the lateral zone of the mesencephalic tegmentum, and ending in the lateral part of the gray matter of the ventral part of the pons. Synonym: tract of Munzer and Wiener, tractus tectopontinus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus tectospinalis | A bundle of thick, heavily myelinated fibres originating in the deep layers of the superior colliculus, crossing to the opposite side in the dorsal tegmental decussation, descending along the median plane, between the medial longitudinal fasciculus dorsally, the medial lemniscus ventrally, into the anterior funiculus of the spinal cord. The tract ends in the medial region of the anterior horn of the cervical spinal cord, and appears to be involved in head movements during visual and auditory tracking. Throughout its course in the brainstem it is accompanied by fibres of the tectobulbar tract. Synonym: tractus tectospinalis, Held's bundle, Loewenthal's bundle, Loewenthal's tract, Marchi's tract, predorsal bundle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus tegmentalis centralis | A large fibre bundle passing longitudinally through the central mesencephalic and pontine tegmentum, distinguished from adjacent longitudinal groups of fibre-fascicles of the reticular formation by a more compact composition. In transverse sections of the mesencephalon the bundle occupies a large triangular area lateral to the medial longitudinal fasciculus; farther caudally it expands ventralward and finally passes over the lateral side of the (inferior) olivary nucleus, becoming part of the latter's fibre capsule. The bundle contains fibres from the mesencephalic tegmentum and regions surrounding the central gray substance descending to the olivary nucleus; it also includes numerous fibres ascending from the medullary, pontine, and mesencephalic reticular formation to the thalamus and subthalamus region. Synonym: tractus tegmentalis centralis, central tegmental fasciculus, tractus centralis tegmenti. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus temporopontinus | A fibre group originating in the cerebral cortex of the temporal lobe, particularly the superior and middle temporal gyri, following the sublenticular limb of the internal capsule into the lateral margin of the crus cerebri in which it descends to its termination in the pontine nuclei or the ventral part of the pons. Synonym: tractus temporopontinus, Arnold's bundle, Arnold's tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus tuberoinfundibularis | A system of fine, unmyelinated fibres apparently originating from small-celled nuclei of the tuber cinereum, especially the arcuate nucleus, and terminating in the median eminence of the infundibulum, in contact with modified ependymal cells and the capillary tufts from which the hypothalamohypophysial portal veins originate. See: hypophysis, neurosecretion. Synonym: tractus tuberoinfundibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tractus vestibulospinalis | A somatopically organised fibre bundle originating from the lateral vestibular nucleus (nucleus of Deiters) which descends uncrossed into the anterior funiculus of the spinal cord lateral to the anterior median fissure; the tractus extends throughout the length of the cord, distributing fibres at all levels to the medial part of the anterior horn. Excitatory impulses conveyed by the vestibulospinal tract increase extensor muscle tone. Synonym: tractus vestibulospinalis, deiterospinal tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| angulus lateralis scapulae | The blunt, concave head of the scapula forming the glenoid cavity at the junction of the superior and lateral borders of the bone. Synonym: angulus lateralis scapulae. (05 Mar 2000) |