Definition
The pyramidal tract is a major efferent (outgoing) bundle of motor neurons that originates in the sensorimotor area of the cerebral cortex, descends through the internal capsule and into the brain stem to synapse in the spinal cord. The pyramidal tract transmits signals that function to control voluntary movements.
Current Knowledge
Overall Function
The pyramidal (or corticospinal) tract controls voluntary motor activity, primarily of the limbs, as well as modulation of sensory input through ascending sensory pathways (Berne and Levy 2000). The fibers of the corticospinal tract control somatic motor activity.
Pyramidal Tract Pathway
The pyramidal tract projects from the motor cortex to lower motor neurons that are located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. One third of the cells of origin are located in the primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus of the frontal lobe (Brodman’s area 4)) and anterior paracentral...
Keywords
- Lateral Corticospinal Tract
- Supplementary Motor Cortex
- Lateral Dorsal Column
- Ventral White Commissure
- Crus Cerebri
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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References and Readings
Berne, R. M., & Levy, M. N. (2000). Principles of physiology. St. Louis: Mosby.
Fix, J. (1995). Neuroanatomy. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
Haines, D. E. (2000). Neuroanatomy. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Haines, D. E. (2004). Neuroanatomy: An atlas of structures, sections, and systems. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens.
Kandel, E. R., Schwartz, J. H., & Jessel, T. M. (1991). Principles of neuroscience. Norwalk: Appleton and Lange.
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Marmarou, C.R. (2017). Pyramidal System. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_356-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_356-2
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