Pyramidal tracts
Pyramidal tracts are a group of motor pathways that originate in the cerebral cortex and travel down the spinal cord. They are responsible for the voluntary control of the musculature of the body and face. The pyramidal tracts include both the corticospinal tract and the corticobulbar tract.
Anatomy[edit | edit source]
The pyramidal tracts are named for their pyramid-like shape in the medulla oblongata. They are composed of upper and lower motor neurons. The upper motor neurons originate in the cerebral cortex and synapse with the lower motor neurons, which are located in the spinal cord. The lower motor neurons then send their axons out to the muscles of the body and face.
Function[edit | edit source]
The primary function of the pyramidal tracts is to carry motor information from the cerebral cortex to the muscles of the body and face. This allows for voluntary movement and fine motor control. The corticospinal tract primarily serves the muscles of the body, while the corticobulbar tract serves the muscles of the face.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Damage to the pyramidal tracts can result in a variety of motor deficits. These can include spastic paralysis, muscle weakness, and Babinski sign. The specific symptoms can vary depending on the location and extent of the damage.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
Pyramidal tracts Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD