Posterolateral tract
Posterolateral tract
The posterolateral tract (also known as Lissauer's tract) is a small strand situated in relation to the tip of the posterior column in the spinal cord. It is named after German neurologist, Heinrich Irenaeus Quincke, who first described it in 1858. The tract carries information about pain and temperature.
Anatomy[edit | edit source]
The posterolateral tract is located at the periphery of the spinal cord, just posterior to the dorsal root entry zone. It is composed of thin, unmyelinated and lightly myelinated fibers. These fibers ascend or descend one or two spinal cord levels before entering the dorsal horn.
Function[edit | edit source]
The primary function of the posterolateral tract is to carry sensory information from the body to the brain. This includes information about pain and temperature, which is transmitted via the spinothalamic tract.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Damage to the posterolateral tract can result in loss of pain and temperature sensation on the same side of the body. This can occur in conditions such as Brown-Sequard syndrome and syringomyelia.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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