Vestibulospinal tract
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| Vestibulospinal tract | |
|---|---|
| Vestibulospinal tract is 2c, in red at bottom center. | |
| Diagram of the principal fasciculi of the spinal cord. (Vestibulospinal fasciculus labeled at bottom right.) | |
| Latin | tractus vestibulospinalis |
| Gray's | subject #185 760 |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | t_15/12817329 |
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Overview
The vestibulospinal tract is one of the descending spinal tracts of the ventromedial pathway. It originates from the vestibular nuclei of the medulla, which conducts information from the vestibular labyrinth in the inner ear.
Motion of fluid in the vestibular labyrinth activates hair cells that signal the vestibular nuclei via cranial nerve VIII.
Parts
The medial part of the vestibulospinal tract project bilaterally down the spinal cord and triggers the cervical spinal circuits, controlling a right position of the head and neck.
The lateral part of the vestibulospinal tract projects ipsilateral down to the lumbar region. There it helps to maintain an upright and balanced posture by stimulating extensor motor neurons in the legs.
External links
- Diagram at etsu.edu
- Overview at wustl.edu
- Brainstem at UWisc 13VNAN
Brain: rhombencephalon (hindbrain) | |
|---|---|
| Myelencephalon/medulla | anterior/ventral: Arcuate nucleus of medulla • Pyramid (Decussation) • Olivary body • Inferior olivary nucleus • Anterior median fissure • Ventral respiratory group posterior/dorsal: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • XII, X: Dorsal • IX,X,XI: Ambiguus • IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus • Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus/Accessory cuneate nucleus • Area postrema • Posterior median sulcus • Dorsal respiratory group raphe/reticular: Sensory decussation • Reticular formation (Gigantocellular nucleus, Parvocellular reticular nucleus, Ventral reticular nucleus, Lateral reticular nucleus, Paramedian reticular nucleus) • Raphe nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus) tracts: Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) • Inferior cerebellar peduncle • Olivocerebellar tract • Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) • Spinothalamic tract • PCML (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers, Medial lemniscus) • Extrapyramidal (Rubrospinal tract, Vestibulospinal tract, Tectospinal tract) |
| Metencephalon/pons | anterior/ventral: Superior olivary nucleus • Basis pontis (Pontine nuclei, Middle cerebellar peduncles) posterior/dorsal: Pontine tegmentum (Trapezoid body, Superior medullary velum, Locus ceruleus, MLF, Vestibulocerebellar tract, V Principal Spinal & Motor, VI, VII, VII: Superior salivary nucleus) • VIII-c (Dorsal, Anterior)/VIII-v (Lateral, Superior, Medial, Inferior) raphe/reticular: Reticular formation (Caudal pontine reticular nucleus, Oral pontine reticular nucleus, Tegmental pontine reticular nucleus, Paramedian pontine reticular formation) • Median raphe nucleus |
| Metencephalon/cerebellum | Vermis • Flocculus • Arbor vitae • Cerebellar tonsil • Inferior medullary velum Molecular layer (Stellate cell, Basket cell, Parallel fiber) • Purkinje cell layer (Purkinje cell) • Granule cell layer (Golgi cell) • Mossy fibers • Climbing fiber |
| Fourth ventricle | apertures (Median, Lateral) • Rhomboid fossa (Vagal trigone, Hypoglossal trigone, Obex, Sulcus limitans, Facial colliculus, Medial eminence) • Lateral recess |
| ||||
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .

