SENSORY TRACT Meaning and
Definition
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A sensory tract is a pathway within the nervous system that transmits sensory information from various parts of the body to the brain. It is responsible for relaying signals related to touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and proprioception (awareness of body position) from periphery to the central nervous system.
Sensory tracts are composed of bundles of nerve fibers or axons, which originate from sensory receptors located in the skin, muscles, joints, and internal organs. These receptors detect stimuli such as pressure or temperature changes and convert them into electrical signals. The signals are then transmitted through the sensory tracts, which act as conduits, relaying the information to specific areas of the brain for interpretation and processing.
Sensory tracts are typically composed of two or three neurons, forming a pathway known as a neuronal circuit. The first neuron, called the primary sensory neuron, detects the stimulus and carries the signal from the receptor to the spinal cord or brainstem. In the spinal cord or brainstem, the signal is relayed to the second neuron, known as the secondary sensory neuron. This neuron carries the signal further up the central nervous system to specific regions within the brain, where it is finally processed and interpreted.
The most well-known sensory tract is the spinothalamic tract, which carries pain and temperature sensations. Other important sensory tracts include the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway, responsible for touch and proprioception, and the spinocerebellar tract, involved in transmitting proprioceptive information to the cerebellum. Overall, sensory tracts play a crucial role in allowing the brain to receive and interpret sensory information, facilitating the coordination and response to external stimuli.
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Ascending t., a bundle of afferent fibers in the spinal cord.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for SENSORY TRACT
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Etymology of SENSORY TRACT
The etymology of the word "sensory" can be traced back to the Latin word "sensus", which means "feeling" or "perception".
The word "tract" originates from the Latin word "tractus", which means "a drawing" or "a pulling". In the context of the nervous system, the term "tract" refers to a bundle of nerve fibers that carry signals or information from one part of the body to another.
Therefore, the term "sensory tract" combines these two words to describe a pathway or bundle of nerve fibers that carries sensory information, such as touch, temperature, pain, or proprioception, from the sensory receptors in the body to the brain for processing and interpretation.
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