Lecture: Ascending and Descending Pathways

An understanding of the main ascending sensory pathways involved in touch and pain perceptions
An understanding of the main motor pathways involved in voluntary movements and maintenance of posture
An introduction to the histological features of cutaneous sensory nerve endings
An understanding of the anatomical, physiological and functional classification of axons in a peripheral nerve

What is the basic structure of a neuron?
What are the different neurotransmitters expressed in inhibitory vs excitatory neurons?
What are the characteristics of the ascending and descending tracts seen in the spinal cord?
What are the two most important ascending tracts in the spinal cord?
Give an overview of the sensory pathway and the synaptically coupled neurons involved
Outline the different types of axons of sensory neurons and their different sensory modalities
What are the different histological receptors of Ab afferent sensory neurons
Outline the sensory pathway for the primary Ab neuron from stimulus
Outline the sensory pathway for the secondary and tertiary ascending neurons from the dorsal column nuclei
What is the histological receptor for Ad/C afferent sensory neurons?
Outline the sensory pathway for the ascending Ad/C neuron from stimulus (pain)
Give an overview of the descending motor (voluntary) pathway and the synaptically coupled neurons involved
Outline the corticobulbar pathway and the location of the cranial nerve nuclei
Outline the corticospinal pathway