Hypothalamospinal_tract

Hypothalamospinal tract

Hypothalamospinal tract

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The hypothalamospinal tract is a nerve tract that arises mainly from the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus, and lateral and posterior areas of the hypothalamus. The tract descends through the periaqueductal gray and adjacent reticular formation.[1] It is found in the dorsolateral quadrant of the lateral funiculus, in the lateral tegmentum of the medulla, pons and midbrain.[2]

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The first-order neuron of the hypothalamospinal tract arises from the hypothalamus and synapses in the lateral horn of the spinal cord at the level of T1. The second-order neuron of the hypothalamospinal tract arises from the lateral horn of T1 and synapses on the superior cervical ganglion. The third-order neurons of hypothalamospinal tract carries sympathetic fibers to the eyelids, pupil, and skin of the face. [3]

The hypothalamospinal tract includes fibres by which the hypothalamus projects to the ciliospinal center in the spinal cord, a part of a brain circuit regulating pupillary dilatation as part of the pupillary reflex.[4]

Lesions of the hypothalamospinal tract above spinal cord level T1 cause ipsilateral Horner's syndrome, which is characterized by a triad of ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis due to sympathetic denervation of the face.[2]

References

  1. [1]
    Haines, Duane E. (January 2013). Fundamental Neuroscience for Basic and Clinical Applications,with STUDENT CONSULT Online Access,4: Fundamental Neuroscience for Basic and Clinical Applications. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 423. ISBN 978-1-4377-0294-1.
  2. [2]
    James D. Fix. High-Yield Neuroanatomy 4th Edition. Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. pp. 63-64.
  3. [3]
    Le, Tao (2023). First Aid. McGraw Hill.
  4. [4]
    Patestas, Maria A.; Gartner, Leslie P. (2016). A Textbook of Neuroanatomy (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 367. ISBN 978-1-118-67746-9.
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