Question 1

The anterior spinocerebellar tract conducts sensations about
A) pain from the upper limbs
B) pain from the lower limbs
C) proprioception from the upper limbs
D) proprioception from the lower limbs

Accepted Answer

The anterior spinocerebellar tract conducts proprioceptive sensations from the lower limbs to the cerebellum. The tract does not carry pain sensation, nor does it convey proprioception from the upper limbs.

Question 2

The corticospinal tracts that synapse on motor neurons in the anterior horns of the spinal cord are visible as they descend along the ventral surface of the medulla as a pair of thick bands, the ________.
A) olives
B) reticular formation
C) pyramids
D) medial lemniscus
E) peduncles

Accepted Answer

The corticospinal tracts are visible as a pair of thick bands known as pyramids as they descend along the ventral surface of the medulla.

Question 3

In the dorsal columns, axons from the dorsal roots of spinal nerves that enter the spinal cord inferior to T6 ascend within the ________.
A) red nucleus
B) fasciculus cuneatus
C) medial lemniscus
D) gracile fasciculus
E) pyramids

Accepted Answer

Axons from the dorsal roots of spinal nerves that enter the spinal cord inferior to T6 ascend within the gracile fasciculus, which carries sensory information from the lower part of the body.

Question 4

The ________ tract carries axons that do not cross over to the opposite side of the spinal cord.
A) posterior spinocerebellar
B) anterior spinocerebellar
C) lateral spinothalamic
D) anterior spinothalamic
E) lateral corticospinal

Accepted Answer

The posterior spinocerebellar tract carries proprioceptive information to the cerebellum without crossing over to the opposite side of the spinal cord, maintaining ipsilateral transmission.

Question 5

Sensory information in the posterior columns ________.
A) carries sensations of pain, temperature, and "crude" sensations of touch and pressure
B) decussate at the midline of the length of the pyramids
C) is carried by axons of first-order sensory neurons that synapse on second-order neurons in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord
D) is integrated by the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus
E) is defined as a loosely organized network of neurons that extends throughout the brainstem

Accepted Answer

The posterior columns carry fine touch, vibration, and proprioceptive information to the brain, and this information is integrated by the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus before being relayed to the sensory cortex for interpretation.

Question 6

A neuron that ascends the spinal cord or brainstem and whose cell body is located in the posterior horn is called a(n)________.
A) upper motor neuron
B) lower motor neuron
C) first-order neuron
D) second-order neuron
E) third-order neuron

Accepted Answer

A second-order neuron is one that ascends the spinal cord or brainstem and has its cell body located in the posterior horn of the spinal cord.

Question 7

The motor pathways of the autonomic nervous system ________.
A) show a neuronal organization like that of the somatic nervous system
B) contain both upper and lower motor neurons
C) include only neurons located in the brain or spinal cord
D) control visceral effectors, such as smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands
E) All of the answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

The motor pathways of the autonomic nervous system control visceral effectors, such as smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands. They do not have the same neuronal organization as the somatic nervous system and do not contain upper and lower motor neurons as the somatic nervous system does. Autonomic neurons are located both in the central nervous system and ganglia outside the central nervous system.

Question 8

The spinothalamic tract is a(n)________ tract.
A) descending
B) motor
C) ascending
D) efferent
E) transverse

Accepted Answer

The spinothalamic tract is an ascending tract, which means it carries sensory information from the spinal cord to the brain. Specifically, it carries information about pain and temperature sensations. The other answer choices are incorrect: descending tracts carry motor information down from the brain to the spinal cord, motor tracts specifically control voluntary movements, efferent tracts carry information away from a specific location (in this case, the spinal cord), and transverse tracts run perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Question 9

A first-order neuron ________.
A) is the first neuron in any descending pathway
B) is a neuron that extends down the spinal cord
C) has its cell body located in the dorsal root ganglion
D) projects the motor homunculus to the parietal lobe of the cerebellum
E) carries information from the thalamus to the appropriate sensory area of the cerebral cortex

Accepted Answer

A first-order neuron has its cell body located in the dorsal root ganglion, which is located just outside the spinal cord. It carries sensory information from the peripheral sensory receptors to the spinal cord or brainstem.

Question 10

Which of these movements or muscle groups is not controlled by motor information transmitted by the corticobulbar tracts?
A) cranial, facial, pharyngeal, and laryngeal muscles
B) eye movements
C) muscles of the upper leg
D) some superficial muscles of the back and neck
E) intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles

Accepted Answer

The corticobulbar tracts are responsible for controlling the muscles involved in voluntary facial, pharyngeal, and laryngeal movements, as well as some muscles of the back, neck, and tongue. However, they do not control the muscles of the upper leg, which are instead controlled by the corticospinal tracts. Therefore, choice C is the correct answer.

Question 11

Which of the following tracts carries proprioceptive information concerning the position of muscles, tendons, and joints to the cerebellum?
A) rubrospinal
B) spinocerebellar
C) posterior (dorsal) column
D) spinothalamic
E) vestibulospinal

Accepted Answer

The spinocerebellar tract carries proprioceptive information from the muscles, tendons, and joints to the cerebellum. The other tracts listed carry different types of information, such as voluntary movement (rubrospinal), tactile sensation (posterior/dorsal column), pain and temperature (spinothalamic), and balance and coordination (vestibulospinal).

Question 12

Select the correct association.
A) afferent-motor
B) ascending-sensory
C) efferent-mixed sensations
D) descending-sensory
E) ipsilateral-motor only

Accepted Answer

Ascending pathways carry sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the brain.

Question 13

The ________, also termed the anterolateral system, carries sensations of pain, temperature, and crude sensations of touch and pressure.
A) medial lemniscus
B) spinothalamic tract
C) dorsal column
D) spinocerebellar tract
E) pyramidal tract

Accepted Answer

The spinothalamic tract, also known as the anterolateral system, carries pain, temperature, and crude touch and pressure sensations. The other options carry different types of sensory information, such as fine touch and proprioception (medial lemniscus and dorsal column) and proprioception and movement information (spinocerebellar and pyramidal tracts).

Question 14

The posterior spinocerebellar tracts ascend to the cerebellar cortex by way of the ________.
A) posterior gray horns
B) inferior cerebellar peduncle
C) gracile nucleus
D) pyramids
E) superior cerebellar peduncle

Accepted Answer

The posterior spinocerebellar tracts ascend in the spinal cord and enter the cerebellum through the inferior cerebellar peduncle, which connects the medulla oblongata to the cerebellum.

Question 15

Neurons whose cell bodies are located in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus are called ________.
A) pyramidal cells
B) first-order neurons
C) second-order neurons
D) third-order neurons
E) lower motor neurons

Accepted Answer

Neurons whose cell bodies are located in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus are third-order neurons. They receive input from second-order neurons in the spinal cord or brainstem and project their axons to the primary somatosensory cortex.

Question 16

The ________ tract carries information that controls muscle tone and balance.
A) pyramidal
B) reticulospinal
C) tectospinal
D) vestibulospinal
E) rubrospinal

Accepted Answer

The vestibulospinal tract carries information from the vestibular nuclei to control muscle tone and balance. The pyramidal tract is responsible for voluntary motor movements, the reticulospinal tract regulates reflexes and autonomic functions, the tectospinal tract controls head and eye movements in response to visual and auditory stimuli, and the rubrospinal tract is involved in muscle tone modulation and fine motor movement.

Question 17

The sensory homunculus is a functional map that shows (the)________.
A) relative size of sensory regions in the body
B) number of muscles under the skin
C) number of sensory receptors representing the regions of the body
D) absolute size of sensory units
E) All of the answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

The sensory homunculus is a visual representation that illustrates the number of sensory receptors representing the regions of the body, not their physical size, the number of muscles, or the absolute size of sensory units.

Question 18

Sensations detected by the receptors of the anterior spinothalamic tracts include ________.
A) proprioception
B) pressure
C) temperature
D) fine touch
E) All of the answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

The anterior spinothalamic tracts primarily carry sensory information related to crude touch and pressure.

Question 19

The posterior columns (medial lemniscal pathway)is ________.
A) gray matter in the spinal cord that processes information about proprioception and touch
B) gray matter in the spinal cord that processes information about pain and temperature
C) white matter in the brainstem that conducts information about pressure, vibration and touch
D) white matter in the brainstem that conducts information about pain and temperature

Accepted Answer

The posterior columns, also known as the medial lemniscal pathway, are composed of white matter in the brainstem and spinal cord that conduct sensory information about pressure, vibration, and touch to the brain.

Question 20

What is the final destination for the spinothalamic tracts?
A) cerebellum
B) gray commissure of spinal cord
C) posterior horn of spinal cord
D) primary somatosensory cortex
E) medulla oblongata

Accepted Answer

The final destination for the spinothalamic tracts is the primary somatosensory cortex, which is responsible for processing tactile information, such as touch, pressure, vibration, and temperature, from various parts of the body.

Quiz 15: The Nervous System: Sensory and Motor Tracts of the Spinal Cord

The anterior spinocerebellar tract conducts sensations about

The corticospinal tracts that synapse on motor neurons in the anterior horns of the spinal cord are visible as they descend along the ventral surface of the medulla as a pair of thick bands, the ________.

In the dorsal columns, axons from the dorsal roots of spinal nerves that enter the spinal cord inferior to T6 ascend within the ________.

The ________ tract carries axons that do not cross over to the opposite side of the spinal cord.

Sensory information in the posterior columns ________.

A neuron that ascends the spinal cord or brainstem and whose cell body is located in the posterior horn is called a(n) ________.

The motor pathways of the autonomic nervous system ________.

The spinothalamic tract is a(n) ________ tract.

A first-order neuron ________.

Which of these movements or muscle groups is not controlled by motor information transmitted by the corticobulbar tracts?

Which of the following tracts carries proprioceptive information concerning the position of muscles, tendons, and joints to the cerebellum?

Select the correct association.

The ________, also termed the anterolateral system, carries sensations of pain, temperature, and crude sensations of touch and pressure.

The posterior spinocerebellar tracts ascend to the cerebellar cortex by way of the ________.

Neurons whose cell bodies are located in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus are called ________.

The ________ tract carries information that controls muscle tone and balance.

The sensory homunculus is a functional map that shows (the) ________.

Sensations detected by the receptors of the anterior spinothalamic tracts include ________.

The posterior columns (medial lemniscal pathway) is ________.

What is the final destination for the spinothalamic tracts?