The spinal cord is like a superhighway for information, carrying messages between our body and brain. It has important pathways that go both up and down. Let's break these down into easier parts.

Main Pathways Going Up (Ascending Tracts):

1. Dorsal Columns:

   • These are responsible for sending signals about light touch, feeling vibrations, and knowing where our body parts are located (called proprioception).
   • They take information from the spine to a part of the brain called the medulla, and then to the thalamus.
   • About 30% of the messages our body sends to the brain travel through this pathway.

2. Spinothalamic Tract:

   • This pathway is all about feeling pain and changes in temperature.
   • It's responsible for around 70% of the sensory messages in the spinal cord.

3. Spinocerebellar Tracts:

   • These tracks send messages about body position to the cerebellum, which helps us move smoothly and stay balanced.
   • There are two types: the front (anterior) and back (posterior) pathways.

Main Pathways Going Down (Descending Tracts):

1. Corticospinal Tract:

   • This is the main path for moving our muscles voluntarily.
   • It makes up about 85% of the nerve fibers, starting from a part of the brain called the motor cortex and traveling down to the spinal cord.

2. Extrapyramidal Tracts:

   • These include pathways like reticulospinal, rubrospinal, and vestibulospinal tracts.
   • They control involuntary movements, like reflexes and help with muscle tone.

Why This Matters:

• Working Together: The pathways that go up help send important sensory information that helps us react to things and understand our surroundings. The pathways that go down help us control our movements and stay coordinated.

• Health Impact: If these pathways get damaged, it can cause serious problems. For instance, injuries to the spinal cord can affect our ability to feel or move properly. This affects about 250,000 people each year in the U.S. alone, leading to different levels of paralysis or loss of feeling.