Anterior spinothalamic tract
Encyclopedia
The ventral spinothalamic fasciculus (or anterior spinothalamic tract) situated in the marginal part of the anterior funiculus
and intermingled more or less with the vestibulo-spinal fasciculus, is derived from cells in the posterior column
or intermediate gray matter
of the opposite side. This tract is primarily associated with the conduction of soft nocioceptive information to the reticular formation in the thalamus.
Their axons cross in the anterior white commissure
.
This is a somewhat doubtful fasciculus and its fibers are supposed to end in the thalamus
and to conduct certain of the touch impulses. More specifically, its fibers convey crude touch information to the VPL (ventral posterolateral nucleus
) part of the thalamus. Iqbal's physiology notes this tract acts via slow neuronal communications.
Anterior funiculus
The most lateral of the bundles of the anterior nerve roots is generally taken as a dividing line that separates the antero-lateral region into two parts, viz., an anterior funiculus, between the anterior median fissure and the most lateral of the anterior nerve roots; and a lateral funiculus,...
and intermingled more or less with the vestibulo-spinal fasciculus, is derived from cells in the posterior column
Posterior column
thumb | right | Cross-section of the spinal cord Posterior column or dorsal column refers to the area of white matter in the dorsomedial side of the spinal cord. It is made up of the fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus and itself is part of the dorsal funiculus...
or intermediate gray matter
Gray Matter
"Gray Matter" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the October 1973 issue of Cavalier magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift. It is set in the same area as King's novel Dreamcatcher.-Setting:...
of the opposite side. This tract is primarily associated with the conduction of soft nocioceptive information to the reticular formation in the thalamus.
Their axons cross in the anterior white commissure
Anterior white commissure
The anterior white commissure, also known as the alba anterior medullae spinalis, is a bundle of nerve fibers which cross the midline of the spinal cord just anterior to the gray commissure...
.
This is a somewhat doubtful fasciculus and its fibers are supposed to end in the thalamus
Thalamus
The thalamus is a midline paired symmetrical structure within the brains of vertebrates, including humans. It is situated between the cerebral cortex and midbrain, both in terms of location and neurological connections...
and to conduct certain of the touch impulses. More specifically, its fibers convey crude touch information to the VPL (ventral posterolateral nucleus
Ventral posterolateral nucleus
The ventral posterolateral nucleus is a nucleus of the thalamus. Together with the ventral posteromedial nucleus , VPI and VMpo, it constitutes the ventral posterior nucleus.-Input and output:...
) part of the thalamus. Iqbal's physiology notes this tract acts via slow neuronal communications.
