Upper motor neuron

Upper motor neuron
The motor tract.
Dorlands/Elsevier	m_20/12542910

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Upper motor neurons are any neurons that originate in motor region of the cerebral cortex and/or the brain stem and carry motor information down to the final common pathway, that is, any motor neurons that are not directly responsible for stimulating the target muscle. The main effector neurons for voluntary movement lie within layer V of the primary motor cortex and are called Betz cells. The cell bodies of these neurons are some of the largest in the brain, approaching nearly 100μm in diameter.

These neurons connect the brain to the appropriate level in the spinal cord, from which point nerve signals continue to the muscles by means of the lower motor neurons. The neurotransmitter glutamate transmits the nerve impulses from upper to lower motor neurons where it is detected by glutamatergic receptors.

Pathways

Upper motor neurons travel in several pathways through the CNS:

Tract	Pathway	Function
corticospinal tract	from the motor cortex to lower motor neurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord	The major function of this pathway is fine voluntary motor control of the limbs. The pathway also controls voluntary body posture adjustments.
corticobulbar tract	from the motor cortex to several nuclei in the pons and medulla	Involved in involuntary maintenance of body posture.
tectospinal tract/colliculospinal tract	from the superior colliculus to lower motor neurons	Involved in involuntary adjustment of head position in response to visual information.
rubrospinal tract	from red nucleus to lower motor neurons	Involved in involuntary adjustment of arm position in response to balance information.
vestibulospinal tract	from vestibular nuclei, which processes stimuli from semicircular canals	It is responsible for adjusting posture to maintain balance.
reticulospinal tract	from reticular formation	Regulates various involuntary motor activities and assists in balance.

Lesions

Upper motor neurone lesions are indicated by spasticity, exaggerated reflexes, loss of voluntary motor control and the Babinski sign.