Descending tract

Definition

Descending tracts are pathways that carry motor signals from the brain down the spinal cord to muscles or glands. They control voluntary and involuntary movements by transmitting instructions from the upper levels of the central nervous system.

Related terms

Motor Neurons:

Nerve cells responsible for converting electrical impulses into actions in muscles or glands.

Central Nervous System (CNS): Comprises the brain and spinal cord, functioning as the main processing center for the entire nervous system.

Myelination: The process of forming a myelin sheath around nerves, increasing the speed at which electrical impulses propagate along the nerve cells