What happens if the primary somatosensory cortex is damaged?

What happens if the primary somatosensory cortex is damaged?

Finally, somatosensory cortex damage can produce numbness or tingling/prickling sensations in certain parts of the body (i.e. paresthesia). Since the face and hands have the most receptors and take up the largest area of the cortex, they are vulnerable to numbness and/or tingling.

In which location does a sensory afferent in the anterolateral pathway make its first synapse?

dorsal horn
Slide 6: Anterolateral Pathways This pathway, as you can see, also enters the spinal cord via the dorsal root; however, these axons make their first synapse immediately in the gray matter of the spinal cord, mainly in the dorsal horn.

Where does the anterolateral pathway Decussate?

The pathway crosses over (decussates) at the level of the spinal cord, rather than in the brainstem like the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway and lateral corticospinal tract. It is one of the three tracts which make up the anterolateral system.

Which is transmitted in anterolateral system?

The spinothalamic tract is also known as the ventrolateral system or anterolateral system. It is a sensory tract that transmits information from the skin to the thalamus in the brain. The anterolateral system is composed of: The fibres ascend from the muscles, joints and skin to synapse in the reticular formation.

What would happen if the somatosensory cortex was removed?

Damage to somatosensory cortex results in remarkably mild deficits. Surgical removal of this region in one hemisphere results in a reduced ability on the opposite side of the body in the detection of light touch and some difficulty identifying objects by touch (stereognosis).

What is the primary somatosensory cortex responsible for?

The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) plays a critical role in processing afferent somatosensory input and contributes to the integration of sensory and motor signals necessary for skilled movement.

Where do first order neurons synapse?

First-order neurons synapse on second-order neurons in relay nuclei, which are located in the spinal cord or in the brain stem. Usually, many first-order neurons synapse on a single second-order neuron within the relay nucleus. Interneurons, also located in the relay nuclei, may be excitatory or inhibitory.

Where is the first synapse in the dorsal column medial lemniscus pathway?

The column reaches the junction between the spinal cord and the medulla oblongata, where lower body axons in the gracile fasciculus connect (synapse) with neurons in the gracile nucleus, and upper body axons in the cuneate fasciculus synapse with neurons in the cuneate nucleus.

Where does the anterolateral pathway cross the midline?

medulla
These fibers ascend ipsilaterally to the medulla where they cross the midline and then ascend through the contralateral lower brain stem and terminate in the ventral posterior lateral and the ventral posterior medial nuclei of the thalamus.

Where does the Spinotectal tract decussate?

aka spinotectal tract, the spinomesencephalic tract is part of the anterolateral system; it terminates in the periaqeductal gray of the midbrain. The periaqueductal grey is thought to be an area that is important to inhibiting or controlling pain sensations and so the spinomesencephalic tract contributes to that role.

What does the spinothalamic tract carry?

The spinothalamic tract is a collection of neurons that carries information to the brain about pain, temperature, itch, and general or light touch sensations. The pathway starts with sensory neurons that synapse in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

What are the two main pathways in the somatosensory system?

The somatosensory system consists of the two main paired pathways that take somatosensory information up to the brain: the medial lemniscal or posterior pathway, and the spinothalamic or anterolateral pathway. The somatosensory pathways are made up of a relay of four neurons.

Which is part of the anterolateral pathway carries pain?

The anterolateral pathways include the spinothalamic tract and other associated tracts that convey pain, temperature sense, and crude touch. You can see that some aspects of touch are carried by both pathways. Therefore, touch sensation is typically not eliminated in lesions unique to either pathway.

What does the term somatosensory mean in medical terms?

The term somatosensory generally refers to body sensations of touch, pain, temperature, vibration, and proprioception. In this series of slides, we will look at two main pathways.

Where are the anterolateral pathways located in the medulla?

When the anterolateral pathways reach the medulla, they are located laterally, running in the groove between the olives and into the inferior cerebellar peduncles. They enter the pontine tegmentum to lie just lateral to the medial lemniscus in the pons and midbrain.