pyramidal tract

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Thân thiện
pyramidal tract

A student studies a diagram of the pyramidal tract in a neuroscience textbook.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A major descending pathway of the central nervous system: The pyramidal tract is a collection of nerve fibers (axons) that originate primarily in the motor cortex of the brain. It descends through the brainstem and connects to motor neurons in the spinal cord, controlling voluntary movements of the body.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Damage to the pyramidal tract can result in muscle weakness or paralysis.
    • The neurologist explained how signals travel down the pyramidal tract to initiate movement.
Advanced Usage
  • "Corticospinal tract": This is a more specific synonym for the pyramidal tract, referring to the part of the pathway that extends from the cortex to the spinal cord.
    • The corticospinal tract is a crucial component of the pyramidal system for fine motor control.
Variants and Related Words

  • Pyramidal system (n): A broader term encompassing the pyramidal tracts and associated cortical motor areas.

    • The pyramidal system is essential for voluntary motor function.

  • Extrapyramidal tract (n): Refers to other motor pathways that are anatomically distinct from the pyramidal tract and are involved in involuntary and postural control.

    • Disorders of the extrapyramidal tract can cause symptoms like tremors and rigidity.
Synonyms
  • Corticospinal tract: The primary neural pathway forming part of the pyramidal tract.
  • Motor pathway: A general term for neural routes involved in movement control.
Related Phrases
  • Pyramidal decussation: The point in the lower medulla where most fibers of the pyramidal tract cross from one side of the central nervous system to the other.
    • At the pyramidal decussation, the nerve fibers cross to control the opposite side of the body.
pyramidal tract

A student studies a diagram of the pyramidal tract in a neuroscience textbook.

Noun
  1. any of the important motor nerves on each side of the central nervous system that run from the sensorimotor areas of the cortex through the brainstem to motor neurons of the cranial nerve nuclei and the ventral root of the spinal cord

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