Rubrospinal tract
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Clinic
- It is a part of the lateral indirect extra-pyramidal tract. Other extra-pyramidal tracts are Vestibulospinal, Tectospinal, and Reticulospinal tracts.
- It originates in the magnocellular red nucleus, crosses to the other side of the midbrain, and descends in the lateral part of the brainstem tegmentum. In the spinal cord, it travels through the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord
- It is one of several major motor control pathways.
- It is smaller and has fewer axons than the corticospinal tract, suggesting that it is less important in motor control.
- It is one of the pathways for the mediation of involuntary movement
- It acts on upper limbs.
- The tract is responsible for large muscle movement regulation flexor and inhibiting extensor tone as well as fine motor control.
- Causing flexor Muscle to contract and extensors to relax
- Plays an important role in flexor reflex activity eg withdrawing hand after touching a hot object, flexion of limbs when something hits the flexor surface.
- Inhibition of Anti-gravity Muscles: Important in the prevention of decerebrate posture
Pathology
Lower motor neuron lesions that involve the extrapyramidal tracts, including the rubrospinal tracts causes severe paralysis, increased muscle tone, exaggerated deep muscle reflexes and rigidity.