FIGURE 33a - Dorsolateral and Ventromedial Pathways

Intro

Figure 33a:	Fibers from Cerebral Cortex | Upper Level of the Medulla | Lower Level of the Medulla | Spinal Cord
Figure 33b:	Cerebral Hemisphere | Midbrain | Medulla and Cerebellum | Spinal Cord
Figure 33c:	Ventromedial Corticospinal Tract | Ventromedial Cortico-Brainstem-Spinal Tract

Part 1: Image-Mapped Tutorial
Part 2: Matching Self-Test: 33a | 33b | 33c
Part 3: Multiple-Choice Self-Test

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2 - Upper level of the Medulla

Motor axons originating in the motor regions of the cortex descend through the ventral region of the upper medulla called the medullary pyramids. The "pyramids" receive their name because of the appearance of bulges formed on the ventral surface of the medulla by the axons of the two major motor pathways, both the dorsolateral pathway and ventromedial pathway. The descending neurons of the dorsolateral pathway contain the massive Betz cells that originate in the primary motor cortex and project to the musculature of the legs.