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    Pyramidal Tract Pathway

    Author: Scott A. Sheffield MS

    Last update: Oct 18th, 2022

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    The pyramidal pathway is one of the main motor pathways in the spinal cord.

    image descriptionUpper level motor neuron:

    • Primary motor cortex
    • Internal capsule
    • Medulla pyramid
    • Cross over to opposite side
    • Corticospinal tract of spinal cord
    • Ventral horn of spinal cord
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the upper motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)

    image descriptionLower level motor neuron:

    • Ventral horn
    • Spinal nerve
    • Effector skeletal muscle

    Learning about the spinal cord? You’ll also want to understand white and grey matter. Look no further than these interactive quizzes and diagrams!

    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing action potential moving through the lower motor neuron, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)

    image descriptionSekeletal muscle response::

    An image showing the muscle response, the action potential passed the pathway, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing the muscle response, the action potential passed the pathway, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing the muscle response, the action potential passed the pathway, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing the muscle response, the action potential passed the pathway, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    An image showing the muscle response, the action potential passed the pathway, Pyramidal Tract Pathway (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)

    Pathway overview:

    Test yourself image showing action potential moving through pyramidal tract all numbered and without answers (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    Test yourself image showing action potential moving through pyramidal tract all numbered and answered below (Internal capsule, Corticospinal tract, Medulla pyramid, Primary motor cortex, Upper motor neuron, Lower motor neuron)
    Swipe to show hide the answers
    1
    2
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