Module 5: Pathways of the Human Nervous System

The series of neurons used to transmit information through the human nervous system is called a pathway.

The general senses are pain, touch, temperature and proprioception (body sense).

The general sensory pathway involves three neurons:

the sensory neuron

the interneuron in the spinal cord or brainstem

the neuron which projects through the cerebrum to the postcentral gyrus

The pyramidal motor pathway consists of the following steps:

the axons of the upper motor neurons descend from the cerebral motor cortex

at the bottom of the medulla these neurons cross over to the opposite side of the spinal cord

they then descend to synapse with a motor neuron in the appropriate segmental nerve