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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Sep 4.
Published in final edited form as: Brain Res. 2014 Sep 26;1619:104–114. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.09.038

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of descending propriospinal system.

Figure 1

Short propriospinal pathways interconnecting several neighboring segments are located both in the lateral and ventral funicula. The sPSTs with cell bodies medially located in the grey matter often project contralaterally, while the sPSTs with cell bodies laterally located project ipsilaterally. The sPSTs can project bidirectionally. The sPSTs originating in neurons within the ventromedial grey matter (lamina VIII and the medial portion of lamina VII), innervate medial motoneurons pools. Correspondingly, the soma of sPSTs located in lateral regions (lateral parts of laminae VII) innervate the lateral motoneuron pools. lPSTs that are involved in locomotor activity reciprocally connect cervical and lumbar enlargements and are concentrated in the ventral quadrants. Propriospinal neurons receive convergent supraspinal innervations including those from the corticospinal (CST), rubrospinal (RST). lPSTs: long propriospinal tracts; sPSTs: short propriospinal cord tracts; CST: corticospinal tract; RST: rubrospinal tract; LF: lateral funicula; VLF: ventral lateral funicula; VF: ventral funicula; LF: lateral funicula.