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Neuro Atlas

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NEUROPHYSIOLOGY<br />

Vestibular System: Vestibulospinal Tracts<br />

Excitatory<br />

endings<br />

Inhibitory<br />

endings<br />

Ascending fibers in medial<br />

longitudinal fasciculi<br />

Superior<br />

Medial<br />

Lateral<br />

Inferior<br />

Vestibular nuclei<br />

Upper<br />

limb<br />

Rostral<br />

Trunk<br />

Ventral<br />

Dorsal<br />

To<br />

cerebellum<br />

Caudal<br />

Lower<br />

limb<br />

Somatotopical<br />

pattern in lateral<br />

vestibular nucleus<br />

Motor neuron<br />

(controlling<br />

neck muscles)<br />

Vestibular<br />

ganglion<br />

and<br />

nerve<br />

Medial vestibulospinal<br />

fibers in medial<br />

longitudinal fasciculi<br />

Lateral<br />

vestibulospinal<br />

tract<br />

Fibers from cristae<br />

(rotational stimuli)<br />

Excitatory<br />

endings<br />

to back<br />

muscles<br />

? ?<br />

Excitatory<br />

interneuron<br />

Inhibitory<br />

interneuron<br />

Fibers from maculae<br />

(gravitational stimuli)<br />

Lower<br />

part of<br />

cervical<br />

spinal cord<br />

To axial<br />

muscles<br />

Lumbar part of<br />

spinal cord<br />

?<br />

Inhibitory<br />

ending<br />

To flexor muscles<br />

To extensor muscles<br />

Inhibitory ending<br />

?<br />

To axial muscles<br />

Excitatory ending<br />

Lateral vestibulospinal tract<br />

Inhibitory interneuron<br />

Excitatory synapse<br />

To flexor muscles<br />

To extensor muscles<br />

©<br />

FIGURE 2.37<br />

VESTIBULOSPINAL TRACTS •<br />

Sensory input from the vestibular apparatus is used to maintain stability<br />

of the head and to maintain balance and posture. Axons convey<br />

vestibular information to the vestibular nuclei in the pons, and<br />

then secondary axons distribute this information to five sites: spinal<br />

cord (muscle control), cerebellum (vermis), reticular formation<br />

(vomiting center), extraocular muscles, and cortex (conscious perception).<br />

This figure shows only the spinal cord pathways.<br />

88

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