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Robotic Spine Universe

Structures · Tracts (white matter)

Fasciculus cuneatus

A bundle of axons in the cord's white matter, part of the dorsal column–medial lemniscus.

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At a glance

Source of the outline
A region of the PAM50 white-matter atlas, drawn at each segment levelLévy et al. 2015; De Leener et al. 2018
Levels with this region in the atlas sections
C1 to S1 (26 levels)
Pathway
Dorsal column–medial lemniscus: fine touch, vibration and position sense

Cross-section at L5

left fasciculus gracilisright fasciculus gracilisleft fasciculus cuneatusright fasciculus cuneatusleft lateral corticospinal tractright lateral corticospinal tractleft spinal lemniscusright spinal lemniscusleft ventrolateral reticulospinal tractright ventrolateral reticulospinal tractleft ventral corticospinal tractright ventral corticospinal tractleft tectospinal tractright tectospinal tractleft medial reticulospinal tractright medial reticulospinal tractleft medial longitudinal fasciculusright medial longitudinal fasciculusleft ventral hornright ventral hornleft intermediate zoneright intermediate zoneleft dorsal hornright dorsal hornAnteriorPosteriorLR
  • Ascending (sensory)
  • Corticospinal (motor)
  • Other descending
  • Grey matter
Regions in this section (text list)
  • left fasciculus gracilis (spared)
  • right fasciculus gracilis (spared)
  • left fasciculus cuneatus (focus)
  • right fasciculus cuneatus (focus)
  • left lateral corticospinal tract (spared)
  • right lateral corticospinal tract (spared)
  • left spinal lemniscus (spared)
  • right spinal lemniscus (spared)
  • left ventrolateral reticulospinal tract (spared)
  • right ventrolateral reticulospinal tract (spared)
  • left ventral corticospinal tract (spared)
  • right ventral corticospinal tract (spared)
  • left tectospinal tract (spared)
  • right tectospinal tract (spared)
  • left medial reticulospinal tract (spared)
  • right medial reticulospinal tract (spared)
  • left medial longitudinal fasciculus (spared)
  • right medial longitudinal fasciculus (spared)
  • left ventral horn (spared)
  • right ventral horn (spared)
  • left intermediate zone (spared)
  • right intermediate zone (spared)
  • left dorsal horn (spared)
  • right dorsal horn (spared)

Highlighted: this region of the white-matter atlas, both sides. Outline from the PAM50 template and atlas, cut at the segment midpoint. De Leener et al. 2018; Lévy et al. 2015

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What the sources say

“The dorsal column is separated into two component tracts, the fasciculus gracilis that contains axons from the legs and lower body, and the fasciculus cuneatus that contains axons from the upper body and arms.” Betts et al. 2022, §14.2
“The axons in the dorsal column terminate in the nuclei of the medulla, where each synapses with the second neuron in their respective pathway.” Betts et al. 2022, §14.2
“These axons then continue to ascend the brain stem as a bundle called the medial lemniscus.” Betts et al. 2022, §14.2

Read more

  • The dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway

    The route for fine touch, vibration and position sense. It climbs the back of the cord on the same side, crosses in the medulla and reaches the sensory cortex through the thalamus.

For learning only. Levels and sizes vary between people; nothing here describes a particular person or gives medical advice. Sources: Betts et al. 2022, §14.2; Lévy et al. 2015; De Leener et al. 2018.