Ascending Pathways

Ascending Tracts of the Spinal

Cord
Spinal cord has three types of tracts
Ascending
Descending
intersegmental

Ascending tracts
conduct afferent information
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 The information may or may not reach

consciousness
It can be divided into two main groups:
Exteroceptive information
Originates from outside the body
e.g. pain, temperature, and touch

Proprioceptive information
Originates from inside the body
For example, from muscles and joints.
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Anatomical Organization
Ascending pathway to consciousness consists of
three neurons:
First-order neuron
has its cell body in the posterior root ganglion
A peripheral process connects with a sensory
receptor ending
a central process enters the spinal cord to synapse
on second-order neuron.
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 Second-order neuron
gives rise to an axon that decussates
(crosses to the opposite side)
And ascends to a higher level of the CNS
It synapses with the third-order neuron

 Third-order neuron
is usually in the thalamus
gives rise to a projection fiber that
passes to a sensory region of the
cerebral cortex

Functions of the Ascending Tracts

Painful and thermal sensations ascend in
the lateral spinothalamic tract
light (crude) touch and pressure ascend in
the anterior spinothalamic tract
Unconscious information ascends through
anterior and posterior spinocerebellar
tracts and cuneocerebellar tract
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 The following informations ascend in

the posterior white column:
Discriminative touch
two-point discrimination
Proprioceptive information
vibratory sensations
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Pathway of Pain and Temperature

The receptor in the skin and other
organs are free nerve endings

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 Posterior root ganglion

First order neuron
Its peripheral process receives pain and
temperature from free nerve endings
its central process enters spinal cord
This axons travel for a distance of one/two
segments of the spinal cord
Then synapses with substantia gelatinosa
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 Substantia gelatinosa
Second order neuron
Receives the stimuli sent through central process of
posterior root ganglion
Their axons cross to the opposite side within one spinal
segment of the cord
Then, ascends in the contralateral white column as lateral
spinothalamic tract
Ends by synapsing into Ventral posterolateral nucleus of
thalamus
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 Ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus

third-order neuron
Here crude pain and temperature sensations are
appreciated
Their axons pass through the posterior limb of
internal capsule and the corona radiata
Finally it reach the somesthetic area of the
cerebral cortex
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 Lateral spinothalamic tract +

anterior spinothalamic tract +
spinotectal tract = spinal lemniscus,
in medulla.

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 Somesthetic area of the cerebral

cortex
Its role is interpreting the quality of the
sensory information at the level of
consciousness
It sends information to other areas like,
motor areas and the parietal association
area

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Crude Touch and Pressure Pathways

Anterior Spinothalamic Tract

Free nerve endings are receptors

Posterior root ganglion
First order neuron
Its pathway is the same with the lateral
spinothalamic tracts

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 Substantia gelatinosa
Second order neuron
Its axons cross obliquely to the opposite side within
several spinal segments
And ascend in the opposite anterolateral white column as
anterior spinothalamic tract
As it ascends new fibers are added in the medial aspect
Sacral tracts are situated laterally where as cervical
medially
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 Anterior spinothalamic tract

As it ascends through the medulla oblongata,
it forms spinal lemniscus with other tracts
Its fibers terminate by synapsing with ventral
posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus
Crude awareness of touch and pressure is
believed to be appreciated here.
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 Ventral posterolateral nucleus of

thalamus
Third order neuron
Its axons pass through the posterior limb
of internal capsule and corona radiata
Finally it reach the somesthetic area of
the cerebral cortex
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Discriminative Touch, Vibratory and Conscious

Muscle Joint Sense
Fasciculus Gracilis and Fasciculus Cuneatus

Receptors
Meissner's corpuscles
pacinian corpuscles
muscle spindles
tendon organs

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 Posterior root ganglion

Its axons pass directly to the posterior white

column of the same side, in the cord

And travel upward ipsilaterally as fasciculus

gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus

They terminate by synapsing in the nuclei

gracilis and cuneatus of the medulla oblongata

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 Nuclei gracilis and cuneatus

Second order nuclei
Their axons, called the internal arcuate fibers
decussates with the corresponding fibers of the
opposite side in the sensory decussation
then ascend as a single medial lemniscus,
terminate by synapsing in the ventral
posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus
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 Ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus

third-order neuron
Their axons pass through the posterior limb of
the internal capsule and corona radiata
Finally reach the somesthetic area of the
cerebral cortex
Represented inverted within it.

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