ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Neural pathways that connect the brain and the spinal cord are called the ascending and descending tracts. They are responsible for carrying sensory and motor messages to and from the periphery.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sensory pathways consist of the chain of neurons, from receptor organ to cerebral cortex, that are responsible for the perception of sensations. Somatosensory stimuli activate a chain of neurons starting with the peripheral first-order (1°) afferent and ending in the cerebral cortex (e.g., Figure 4.1).

Detailed explanation-3: -Motor: The corticospinal tracts send motor information from the cortex to the spinal cord as the name suggests. Sensory: The anterolateral (or spinothalamic) tracts and dorsal (or posterior) column pathways bring sensory input from the spinal cord to the brain by way of the brainstem.