Spinal Cord Tracks

Sensitive (= ascending, afferent) pathways: Sensitive pathways are responsible for processing impulse information from e.g. the skin and transmit this information to the corresponding centers in the brain.

Fasciculus gracilis (GOLL) for the lower half of the body (lies inside) and the
Fasciculus cuneatus (BURDACH) for the upper half of the body (lies outside)
Tractus spinobulbaris. It carries fibers of tactile and depth sensitivity and consists of the Fasciculus gracilis (GOLL) for the lower half of the body (located inside) and the Fasciculus cuneatus (BURDACH) for the upper half of the body (located outside).
Fasciculus gracilis (GOLL) for the lower half of the body (lies inside) and the
Fasciculus cuneatus (BURDACH) for the upper half of the body (lies outside)

Motor spinal cord tracts

Motor pathwaysMotor pathways are responsible for processing impulse information from e.g. the skin and transmit this information to the corresponding centers in the brain.

Tractus reticulospinalis:These fiber bundles originate from the Formatio reticularis in the brain stem and terminate at intermediate neurons in the gray spinal cord substance, which modulate the activity of the motor anterior horn cells. Among other things, it represents the connecting path between the respiratory center and motor neurons for the respiratory muscles.
It runs in the lateral strand of the spinal cord, but also scattered in the anterior strand.
Tractus vestibulospinalis:These fibers originate from the vestibular core group (Ncl. Vestibularis lateralis) in the rhombic brain, which is more or less responsible for our balance, and also influence the motor anterior horn cells via intermediate neurons. This is done by the intermediate neurons telling the motor anterior horn cells which muscles need to be tensed to maintain our balance or a certain basic tension in the muscles (= tone regulation) and also how much.
This happens automatically, without us having to concentrate on keeping our balance. However, the tractus vestibulospinalis only supplies those motoneurons that are responsible for the extensor muscles. Its fibers run in the front strand of the white spinal cord substance.
Tractus tectospinalis:These fiber bundles have their origin in the midbrain, namely in the superior colliculus, the upper part of the four-mound plate.
They change sides up here and then also move in the anterior strand to the anterior horn cells of the cervical medulla. They play a role in reflective head movements that occur as a result of optical, acoustic or other stimuli (gaze sequence, turn of gaze. Optical reflex path!

).
Tractus olivospinalis A path running from the lower olive stones (Nuclei olivares inferiores) in the medulla oblongata to the anterior horn cells (nerve cells) in the cervical medulla.
Tractus rubrospinalis (= Monakow bundle)Nerve fibers originating from the “red core” (Ncl. Ruber), which move to those anterior horn cells in the spinal cord that are responsible for supplying the flexor muscles (flexors).
Tractus corticospinalis (pyramidal tract)It conducts random motor impulses from the cerebral cortex (= cortico-) to the anterior horn cells in the spinal cord (-spinalis). It is divided into two parts and is located in the anterior strand of the white spinal cord substance at the very side (tractus corticospinalis lateralis) and at the very front (tractus corticospinalis anterior).
Extrapyramidal coursesThese are all courses that do not belong to the “pyramidal course”.
They all have their origin below the cerebral cortex (subcortical) in different core areas of the brain and go to the – or – motoneurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. They include the tractus reticulospinalis: These fiber bundles originate in the Formatio reticularis in the brain stem and terminate at intermediate neurons in the gray matter of the spinal cord, which modulate the activity of the motor anterior horn cells. Among other things, it represents the connecting path between the respiratory center and motor neurons for the respiratory muscles.

It runs in the lateral strand of the spinal cord, but also scattered in the anterior strand. Tractus vestibulospinalis:These fibers originate from the vestibular core group (Ncl. Vestibularis lateralis) in the rhombic brain, which is more or less responsible for our balance, and also influence the motor anterior horn cells via intermediate neurons.

This is done by the intermediate neurons telling the motor anterior horn cells which muscles need to be tensed to maintain our balance or a certain basic tension in the muscles (= tone regulation) and also how much. This happens automatically, without us having to concentrate on keeping our balance. However, the tractus vestibulospinalis only supplies those motoneurons that are responsible for the extensor muscles.

Its fibers run in the front strand of the white spinal cord substance. Tractus tectospinalis:These fiber bundles have their origin in the midbrain, namely in the colliculus superior, the upper part of the four mound plate. They change sides up here and then also move in the anterior strand to the anterior horn cells of the cervical medulla.

They play a role in reflective head movements that occur as a result of optical, acoustic or other stimuli (gaze sequence, turn of gaze. Optical reflex path!). Tractus olivospinalis A path running from the lower olive nuclei (Nuclei olivares inferiores) in the medulla oblongata to the anterior horn cells (nerve cells) in the cervical medulla.

Tractus rubrospinalis (= Monakow’s bundle)Nerve fibers originating from the “red nucleus” (Ncl. Ruber) and moving to the anterior horn cells in the spinal cord, which are responsible for supplying the flexor muscles (flexors).
Tractus reticulospinalis:These fiber bundles originate from the Formatio reticularis in the brain stem and terminate at intermediate neurons in the gray spinal cord substance, which modulate the activity of the motor anterior horn cells. Among other things, it represents the connecting path between the respiratory center and motor neurons for the respiratory muscles.
It runs in the lateral strand of the spinal cord, but also scattered in the anterior strand.
Tractus vestibulospinalis:These fibers originate from the vestibular core group (Ncl. Vestibularis lateralis) in the rhombic brain, which is more or less responsible for our balance, and also influence the motor anterior horn cells via intermediate neurons. This is done by the intermediate neurons telling the motor anterior horn cells which muscles need to be tensed to maintain our balance or a certain basic tension in the muscles (= tone regulation) and also how much.
This happens automatically, without us having to concentrate on keeping our balance.However, the tractus vestibulospinalis only supplies those motoneurons that are responsible for the extensor muscles. Its fibers run in the front strand of the white spinal cord substance.
Tractus tectospinalis:These fiber bundles have their origin in the midbrain, namely in the superior colliculus, the upper part of the four-mound plate. They change sides up here and then also move in the anterior strand to the anterior horn cells of the cervical medulla.
They play a role in reflective head movements that occur as a result of optical, acoustic or other stimuli (gaze sequence, turn of gaze. Optical reflex path! ).
Tractus olivospinalis A path running from the lower olive stones (Nuclei olivares inferiores) in the medulla oblongata to the anterior horn cells (nerve cells) in the cervical medulla.
Tractus rubrospinalis (= Monakow bundle)Nerve fibers originating from the “red core” (Ncl. Ruber), which move to those anterior horn cells in the spinal cord that are responsible for supplying the flexor muscles (flexors).