MOTOR SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
Every movement needs motor system e.g. : reading, writing, talking, walking, watching tv, playing instruments, etc Orchestrated by coordinated action of multi organs or regions of nervous system How if the system doesnt work? e.g. : hemiparesis/plegi, tetraparesis/plegi, paraparesis/plegi

Decision

Motor planning areas

Control circuits

Descending motor pathways

Spinal interneurons

Lower motor neurons

Schematic figure of Neural structures in motor system

Skeletal muscles

Lower motor neuron innervate skeletal muscle Spinal motorneurons act in spinal region Descending pathway deliver motor information from brain to LMN postural/gross & fine movement pathways Control circuits Basal ganglia & cerebellum Motor planning area frontal cortex

Motor planning

Descending pathway

Control circuit

LOWER MOTOR NEURON

2 types : & motoneuron Cell body ventral/post horn of spinal cord Spinal cord ventral root (radix ventralis) peripheral nerve skeletal muscle Characteristics of motoneurons :
Axon type Size & myelination Large myelinated Medium myelinated Innervates Extrafusal muscle fibers Inrafusal muscle fibers

Motor Units

An motoneuron & muscle fibers it innervates

Varied in number of muscle fibers innervated

Gastrocnemius : >1000 fibers/motoneuron Extraocular muscle : 10 fibers/motoneuron

motoneuron activation acetylcholine released

at NMJ muscle contraction According to speed of muscle contraction in response to single electrical shock, classified into : - Slow twitch : postural muscle, activated first - Fast twitch : powerful movement (gastrocnemius)

SPINAL REGION

2 types of movement

Automatic / Voluntary / Anticipatory

Complex Supra

spinal circuit needed Spinal region coordination

Reflexive
Simple Not

need supra spinal circuit

Spinal reflex
Proprioceptive reflex Cutaneous Reflex

Proprioceptive Reflex

Muscle stretch reflex

Mono/multi synaptic reflex Reciprocal inhibition Inhibit antagonist muscle

Golgi tendon organ reflex

Autogenic inhibition

Cutaneous Reflex

Withdrawal reflex

Muscle stretch reflex

Golgi tendon organ reflex

Proprioceptive reflex

Schematic of Withdrawal reflex

Spinal Region Coordination

The role of spinal circuit beyond reflex Control movement as part of motor system

Part of descending tract Lesion monoparesis, hemiparesis, paraparesis, quadri/tetraparesis

Central pattern generator

Proven in experimental animals Still hypothesis in human

DESCENDING MOTOR PATHWAY (UPPER MOTOR NEURON)

Projects from supraspinal center to lower motor neuron in brainstem & spinal cord Classified according to synaps location :

Medial activation system for postural & gross movement Lateral activation system for fine movement Nonspecific activating pathway local reflex arc

Medial Activation System

4 tracts from brain stem

Tectospinal tract
Activate cervical spinal cord for head movement

Medial reticulospinal tract

Head movement & limb extensor

Medial vestibulospinal tract

Control neck & upper back (cervical & thoracal)

Lateral vestibulospinal tract

Maintain equilibrium in upright position

1 tract from cerebral cortex

Medial corticospinal tract

Control neck, shoulder & trunk muscles

Lateral Activation System

Lateral corticospinal tract (pyramidal tract)

Fractionation of movement

Corticobulbar tract
Part of corticospinal axon

Rubrospinal tract
Upper limb flexor muscle

Lateral reticulospinal tract

Facilitate flexor and inhibit extensor motoneuron Reverse activity of pyramidal tract

Nonspecific Activating Pathways

Enhanced the activity of onterneurons and motorneurons in spinal cord Consist of : 1. Ceruleospinal tract

From locus ceruleus

2. Raphespinal tract
From raphe nuclei

CONTROL CIRCUITS
Basal ganglia and cerebellum Influence motor area in cortex via thalamus Project to brainstem to control descending pathway

Basal Ganglia

Nucleus (gray matter) in cerebrum & midbrain :

Nucleus caudatus Putamen

Nucleus lentiformis

Globus palidus Nucleus subthalamicus Substantia Nigra

Neurotransmitters :
GABA, Substance P & Dopamin

Functions :
Iniciation, facilitation and sequencing of movements, Motor synergy, regulating muscle tone and muscle force

Basal Ganglia

Cerebellum

Basic functions :

Coordination of movement Postural control Muscle tone

3 lobes : anterior, posterior, flocculonodular Vermis

Gross anatomy :

Functional anatomy :

Vestibulocerebellum (flocculonodular) : equilibrium Spinocerebellum (vermis) : movement Cerebrocerebellum : planning and accuracy

Cerebellum

Vestibulocerebellum

Spinocerebellum

Cerebrocerebellum

THANK YOU