Anterior spinothalamic tract

Anterior spinothalamic tract
Anterior spinothalamic tract is 5b, in blue at right.
Diagram of the principal fasciculi of the spinal cord. (Anterior spinothalamic fasciculus is labeled at bottom left.)
Latin	tractus spinothalamicus anterior
Gray's	subject #185 760
Dorlands/Elsevier	t_15/12817254

Overview

The ventral spinothalamic fasciculus (or anterior spinothalamic tract) situated in the marginal part of the funiculus and intermingled more or less with the vestibulo-spinal fasciculus, is derived from cells in the posterior column or intermediate gray matter of the opposite side.

Their axons cross in the anterior commissure.

This is a somewhat doubtful fasciculus and its fibers are supposed to end in the thalamus and to conduct certain of the touch impulses. More specifically, its fibers convey fine touch information to the VPL (ventral posterolateral nucleus) part of the thalamus.

See also

• Spinothalamic tract
• Lateral spinothalamic tract

External links

• 778764289 at GPnotebook
• Anterior+spinothalamic+tract at eMedicine Dictionary
• Diagram at mfi.ku.dk
• Overview at uwm.edu

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.