[UW Anatomy |
Contents]
Function:
Pain and temperature from the opposite (contra.) side of the body
(arm, trunk and leg).
Pathway:
Dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord possess axons that decussate
and ascend as the lateral and ventral spinothalamic tracts in the
anterolateral part of the spinal cord (A.L.S.). These axons pass
through the brainstem to reach the V.P.L. of the thalamus. Neurons in
the V.P.L. project to somatosensory cortex (areas 3,1, 2).
Deficits:
Loss of pain and temperature from the contra. side of the body (arm,
trunk and leg).
Other Note:
Descending autonomic fibers from the hypothalamus travel with the ALS
in the brainstem on their way to the lateral cell column (pregang.
sym. cells) of ipsi. spinal cord. Lesion involving ALS=contra. loss
pain and temp. AND CONSTRICTED pupil in IPSI. eye and ptosis.