- Pathway & key concepts
- Animation
- Labelling exercise
Spino-reticular pathway > plan view from behind
KEY CONCEPTS:
- Four neuron sequence.
- Similar to spino-thalamic pathway but has an extra synapse in the brainstem reticular formation.
- Its thalamic synapse is also different (intralaminar nuclei).
- Functions are unclear.
This image illustrates in a diagrammatic form the main features of the spino-reticulo-thalamic pathway from the periphery to the somatosensory cortex as for the spino-thalamic route, but with an extra synapse in the reticular formation of the brainstem, in a simplified plan diagram, as seen from the back.
The spino-reticulo-thalamic system provides the reticular system with an important sensory input for use in modulating various homeostatic processes (heart and respiratory rate, etc.) and where the sensory input of the cortex may be modulated by other types of sensory activities.
Spino-reticular pathway > plan view from behind
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