Pixelated Brain: Neuroanatomy for Medical Students

MODULE 5

OBJECTIVES

After you have completed this module you should be able to do the following:

1. Show, on a surface view of the hemisphere, the origin and somatotopic organization of the corticospinal tract. Also show the position and somatotopic organization of the tract on a horizontal section through the hemisphere.
2. Identify the corticospinal tract on any slide of the brainstem (and spinal cord) series.
3. Explain the nature of the several descending tracts or pathways that run "in parallel" with the corticospinal tract. The best way to do this is to explain Figure 5-1.
4. Be able to draw a schematic diagram of each of the pathways listed in the introduction above on a figure such as Figure 3-2. The diagrams should show where the pathway originates, where it crosses the midline (if it does), where synaptic relays occur and the general position of the pathway - to the extent it can be shown on a view of this sort.
5. Many of the structures described in this module CANNOT be seen clearly on our slides, and we do NOT expect you to be able to identify them. For example, you should know that the rubrospinal tract descends through the lateral part of the brainstem - but, while we have drawn the tract on the slides, you can't actually see it, and we would never ask you to identify it.