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This overview addresses
spinal cord tracts and
reflex arcs with
particular emphasis
on the structure of
the spinal cord,
its division into
gray and white matter
and the organization of
sensory and motor tracts.
We will explore key ascending
and descending pathways,
including how sensory input and
motor commands travel
between the body and brain.
Reflex arcs and
their significance
in rapid involuntary responses
will be discussed emphasizing
monosynaptic and
polysynaptic mechanisms.
Finally, we will consider how
these systems underlie movement,
reflexes and clinical
implications
for nervous system function.
To understand spinal cord
tracts and reflex arcs,
we start with its structure.
The spinal cord is a cylindrical
structure extending from
the brainstem through
the vertebral canal
protected by the
vertebral column.
Centrally located
gray matter forms
an H-shaped cord with
neuronal cell bodies
while surrounding
white matter contains bundles of
myelinated axons organized into
tracts transmitting sensory
and motor information.
The dorsal, ventral,
and lateral horns
of gray matter have
specific roles crucial to
tract flow and
reflex integration.
The spinal cord's white matter
contains ascending or sensory
tracts that relay
information from
the periphery to the
central nervous system.
Two key examples are
the dorsal column-medial
lemniscus pathway
and the spinothalamic tract.
The dorsal columns carry
fine touch, vibration,
