Pathways
The cord is a bundle of highways. Each pathway carries one kind of signal, runs in its own part of the cord, and crosses the midline at its own place, which is why a cord injury on one side can take movement from that side and pain from the other.
Descending (motor)
- Lateral corticospinal tractVoluntary movement of the limbs
- Anterior corticospinal tractVoluntary control of the trunk
- Rubrospinal tractCorrections to ongoing movement from the cerebellum
- Reticulospinal tractsPosture, muscle tone and autonomic influence
- Vestibulospinal tractBalance: keeping the body upright
- Tectospinal tractTurning the head toward something seen