MOTOR NEURON

kuswat
Departemen Anatomi FK UII
 Definiton
motor neurons are a type of cell located in the
central nervous system (CNS) that have axons
(nerve fiber) extending outside the CNS to
directly or indirectly control muscle
contracton
 Motor unit
A single motor neuron may synapse with one
or more muscle fibers.
The motor neuron and all of the muscle fibers
to which it connects is a motor unit.
MOTOR UNIT
MOTOR UNIT
Motor neuron together with
muscle fibers (myofibers) it
innervates

NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION
(NMJ)/
MOTOR-END PLATE (MEP):
The junctn of a motor unit and
muscle fibers

In humans:
A single motor unit causes
the contracton of 6-30
fibers (small MU: in some
eye muscles) to over 1,000
fibers (large MU: in
powerful leg muscles)
CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTOR UNIT (MU)
SMALL MU:
Fast movement
Weak movement
Easily fatgue
(e.g., external eye muscles)
LARGE MU:
Slow movement
Strong movement
Not easily fatgue
(e.g., muscles of upper arm and upper leg/thigh)
 UPPER MOTONEURON (UMN)
&
LOWER MOTONEURON (LMN)

CEREBRAL CORTEX
UMN
MESENCEPHALON
BRAIN STEM
THE LOCATION OF ITS CELL BODY (SOMA)

1. CEREBRAL CORTEX (Area 4; 6,8; 3,1,2;5,7)

Cortcospinal tract Cortcobulbar tract

Bulbus
Spinal cord
(Anterior horn)
2. MESENCEPHALON
RUBER NUC. TECTAL NUC. INTERSTITIAL NUC.

Rubrospinal Tectospinal Intersttospinal

tract tract tract

SPINAL CORD (Anterior horn)

3. BRAIN STEM (truncus cerebri):

Bulbus (Pons + med. Obl.)

RETICULAR NUC. VESTIBULAR NUC.

Retculospinal Vestbulospinal
tract tract
SPINAL CORD
LMN LOWER MOTONEURON (LMN)
THE LOCATION OF ITS CELL BODY

1. BRAIN STEM
MOTORIC NUCLEI OF CERTAIN CRANIAL NERVES
(N III, N IV, N V, N VI, N VII, N IX, N X, N XII)

N III
N IV EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLES
N VI

NV
N VII BRANCHIOGENIC MUSCLES *
N IX VISCERAL ARCH I, II and III
NX

N XII TONGUE MUSCLES

(* BRANCHIOGENIC MUSCLES:
- Facial/mimic muscles - Sternocleidomastoid
- Platysma - Laryngeal muscles
- Trapezius - Pharyngeal muscles)
 LMN Skeletal m.

Ant. horn of
the spinal Alpha MN
cord
Gamma MN
2. LMN**

ALPHA MNs EXTRAFUSAL MUSCLE FIBERS

GAMMA-EFFERENT MNs INTRAFUSAL MUSCLE FIBERS

** LMNs located in the anterior horn of the spinal cord (through the
spinal nerves) sent to the muscle fibers innervated
 Somatc motor neuron
Alpha motor neurons innervate
extrafusal muscle fibers (a type of slow switch
fiber) located throughout the muscle. Their
cell bodies are in the ventral horn of the spinal
cord and they are sometmes called ventral
horn cells.
 Gamma motor neurons innervate intrafusal
muscle fibers found within the muscle spindle.
They regulate the sensitvity of the spindle to
muscle stretching.
Fig.10.7 NEUROMUSCULAR SPINDLE

SENSORY RECEPTOR THAT MONITORS THE EXTENT

AND RATE OF MUSCLE LENGTHENING (STRETCHRECEPTOR)

Gamma-
efferent MN Alpha MN

Neuromuscular spindle
(fusus neuromuscularis)

Soma cells of gamma efferent MN and alpha MN located in

the anterior horn of the spinal cord
 NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION (NMJ) (Fig.10.5)

THE JUNCTION BETWEEN A MOTOR NEURON ENDING ON A

MUSCLE FIBER
THE END BRANCHES OF THE MOTOR NEURON (AXON
TERMINALS) GAIN ACCESS TO THE MUSCLE FIBER THROUGH
THE ENDOMYSIUM
AT THE JUNCTION BETWEEN THE MUSCLE FIBER AND THE
AXON TERMINALS: THE MUSCLE FIBER MEMBRANE FORMS
A MOTOR END PLATE (MEP)
(MEP:
THE SPECIALIZED PORTION OF THE SARCOLEMMA (PLASMA
MEMBRANE) OF A MUSCLE FIBER
IT SURROUNDS THE SYNAPTIC END BULBS OF THE AXON)
MEP
Somatomotoric
cortex

Kuswat
Departemen anatomi FK UII
 GENERAL SOMATIC EFFERENT (GSE) SYSTEM

EFF.
EFFECTOR
PYRAMIDAL COORDINATED
SYSTEM (INFO.) (SKELETAL (CONTRACTION)
MUSCLE) MOVEMENT
(instructon:
CONSCIOUS)
CNS
(BRAIN)

EXTRAPYRA- CIRCUIT
MIDAL
SYSTEM

BASAL GANGLIA/ CEREBELLUM/

THALAMUS/
CORTEX
 GENERAL FUNCTIONS
& CHARACTERISTICS
OF GSE SYSTEM
1. SKELETAL MUSCLE
SKELETAL MUSCLES GENERALLY FUNCTION TO ALLOW:
MOVEMENT
ADJUST POSTURE
PRODUCE BODY HEAT

THE CRUCIAL PROPERTIES OF THE MUSCLE TISSUE:

ITS ABILITY TO CONTRACT
BE EXCITED BY A STIMULUS
BE STRETCHED (RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL SHAPE AFTER STRETCHING OR
CONTRACTING)
GIVES SKELETON THE POWER TO MOVE
IS USUALLY CONTRACTED VOLUNTARILY AND CONSCIOUSLY
(Except: reflex)
2. NERVOUS CONTROL
(MNs, NMJ/MEP)*
THE CONTRACTION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE IS UNDER
NERVOUS CONTROL, i.e., THE MUSCLE TISSUE ALONE
CANNOT CONTRACT
*(MN: motor neuron; NMJ: neuromuscular juncton; MEP: motor-
end plate)

3. NEUROTRANSMITTER
ITS CONTRACTION IS INITIATED BY A CHEMICAL
(NEUROTRANSMITTER/NT: acetylcholin/ACh) RELEASED
FROM A NERVE (NEURON) AXON TERMINAL
SOMATOMOT. CORTEX: UMN

Cortcobulbar tract
CST Somatomotoric cortex
BULBUS
LMN
SKELETAL
MUSCLE
SKELETALMU
SCLE MOTOR
LCS
UMN HOMUNCULUS

(Area 4/motor stript/

ACS motor homunculus)
SKELETALMU
LMN SCLE
SKELETAL
MUSCLE
ANT. HORN
CST: CORTICOSPIN. TRACT
LCS: LAT. CORTICOSPIN. TRACT
MIDLINE ACS: ANT. CORTICOSPIN. TRACT
Somatomotoric cortex

MOTOR HOMUNCULUS
 Pyramidal system
cortcospinalis tract
cortcobubaris tract
Tractus Cortcospinalis
 1.CORTICOSPINAL TRACT:
1A. Anterior cortcospinal tract
(10% of fibers)
1B. Lateral cortcospinal tract
(pyramidal tract)
(90% of fibers)

pyramis
Pyramidal
1B 1A decussaton
 Tractus cortcospinalis lateral
The lateral cortcospinal tract mediates the
executon of rapid, skilled,voluntary
movements of the distal musculature of the
upper and lower limbs, especially the intrinsic
muscles of the hand
The lateral cortcospinal tract contains mostly
crossed fibers; however, a small percentage of
its fibers are uncrossed (2-3%)
 Tractus cortcospinalis anterior
The fibers of the anterior cortcospinal tract
influence the neurons that innervate the axial
and proximal limb (girdle) musculature
The upper motoneurons of the anterior
cortcospinal tract do not decussate in the
caudal medulla oblongata.
Instead, they descend in the anterior funiculus
of the spinal cord to terminate mainly in the
anterior horn gray matter of the cervical and
upper thoracic spinal cord levels.
 Near their terminaton, these fibers decussate to
the opposite side of the spinal cord via the
anterior white commissure to synapse with
interneurons that in turn synapse with lower
motoneurons.
Other fibers of the anterior cortcospinal tract
decussate to the opposite side near their
terminaton and instead synapse directly with
lower motoneurons, innervatng the axial
musculature
 PYRAMIDAL CORTEX
PYRAMIDAL
CRUS CEREBRI
SYSTEMCORTICOSPINAL (MIDBRAIN)
TRACT
PONS

PYRAMIS
X (MED. OBLONGATA)
I
II PYR. DECUSSATION
III
IV LATERAL
CORTICOSPINAL
V
VI TRACT
VII
IX ANTERIOR
VIII CORTICOSPINAL
TRACT
REXED LAMINA
LMN (ANTERIOR HORN
OF
THE SPINAL CORD)
Lamina Rexed IV, V, VI,
VII, IX
LMN
(ANT. HORN OF
THE SPINAL CORD
 PARALYSIS / PLEGIA PYRAMIDAL TRACT LESION

RIGHT (DEXTER) LEFT (SINISTER)

A CORTICOSPINAL TRACT

PYRAMIDAL DECUSSATION

C
LATERAL
CORTICOSPINAL TRACT
B D
SUPERIOR EXTREMITY

INFERIOR EXTREMITY
LESION:
A LEFT HEMIPLEGIA LEFT SUPERIOR EXTREMITY
(HEMIPLEGIA SINISTRA) / CONTRALATERAL
LEFT INFERIOR EXTREMITY
B RIGHT HEMIPLEGIA / IPSILATERAL D RIGHT SUPERIOR EXTREMITY
TETRAPLEGIA
C LEFT INFERIOR EXTREMITY PARALYSIS
RIGHT SUPERIOR EXTREMITY PARALYSIS RIGHT INFERIOR EXTREMITY
(HEMIPLEGIA CRUCIATA)
Tractus cortcobulbaris
 The corticobulbar tract consists of fibers derived from the
primary motor cortex (Brodmannn area 4), the premotor
cortex (6 and 8) and the somesthetic cortex (area 3,1,2).
The tract descends through the genu of the internal
capsule and few fibers in the posterior limb of the
internal capsule and passes from the cortex down to
midbrain.
 Consisting of fibers of upper motor neurons,
accompanies the corticospinal tract and lower motor
neurons.
Axons of UMNs descend from the cortex into the brain
stem, where some decussate and others do not. They
provide input into lower motor neurons in the nuclei of
crania; nerves III, IV, VI, V,VII, IX, X, XI and XII, which
control voluntary movement of the eyes, tongue,neck,
facial expression and speech.
 CORTICOBULBAR TRACT

UMN PYR. CORTEX

CORTICOBULBAR TRACT

PONS
BULBUS

1 MED. OBL.

2
LMN Characteristcs of the bulbar nuclei
innervaton
1 & 2: nuclei in the bulbus In general: crossed + uncrossed
 LMN
The locaton of its cell
body in brain stem.
In motoric nuclei of
certain cranial nerves.
(N III, N IV, N V, N VI, N
VII, N IX, N X,XI and N
XII)
 CORTICOBULBAR TRACT
(right) (left)
CEREBRAL CORTEX CEREBRAL CORTEX
(UMN) (UMN)

IPSILAT.
(uncrossed)

A: BILATERAL
A
CONTRALAT.
(crossed)
B
B: UNCROSSED
(UNILATERAL)

Innervaton of nuclei
in the bulbus
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CORTICOBULBAR TRACT

Cranial nerve receives

bilateral innervasion from
the cerebral cortex,
except for N. Abducens
and Facialis.
The corticobulbar tracts
for the upper face cross
and recross in reaching
the facial nerve nucleus.
The tracts for the lower
face are crossed only
 EXTRAPYRAMIDAL S Y S T E M
A SYSTEM CONSISTS OF TRACTS (SUPRASPINAL DESCENDENS),
NUCLEI AND FEEDBACK CIRCUITS
WHICH PRODUCES SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES ON
THE VOLUNTARY MUSCLES ACTIVITIES, OUTSIDE
OF THE PYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

COMPONENTS OF THE EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

EXTRAPYRAMIDAL CORTEX TELENCEPHALON

BASAL GANGLIA
THALAMUS DIENCEPHALON
SUBTHALAMUS
RUBER NUCLEUS
SUBSTANTIA NIGRA BRAIN STEM
RETICULAR FORMATION
CEREBELLUM
FEEDBACK CIRCUITS
The functon of extrapiramidal system
Automatc postural
Statc functon
 EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYSTEM PYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

POSTURAL ACTIVITY NONPOSTURAL ACTIVITY

GROUP OF LARGE INDIVIDUAL MUSCLE

MUSCLES ADAPTATION SKILLED MOVEMENTS
(Smooth, precise, specific,
learned)

CIRCUIT MODULATION

LMN

Pyramidal & extrapyramidal

systems interact in harmony to
NORMAL & COORDINATED
produce normal and coordinated
MOVEMENT
movement
THE INFLUENCE OF THE EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYSTEM ON LMN
ACTIVITY

1. INDIRECT (via pyramidal cortex)

2. DIRECT (to LMN)
PYRAMIDAL EXTRAPYRAMIDAL
SYSTEM SYSTEM

PYRAMIDAL CORTEX EXTRAPYRAMIDAL CORTEX

1 c
CIRCUIT a
THALAMUS
LMN BASAL GANGLIA
2 b -------------------------
SUBCORTICAL NUC.

VOLUNTARY EXTRAPYRAMIDAL CIRCUIT

(a, b and c)
MOTORIC
RIGIDITY
ACTIVITY
DISORDER
(LESION) DYSKINESIA
The principal of extrapyramidal sircuit
 The Basal ganglia
The components of the basal ganglia included the
caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens,
globus pallidus, thalamus, subthalamic nucleus,
amygdala, and claustrum
From a clinical perspectve, the components of
the basal ganglia involved in motor functon are
the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus,
and subthalamic nucleus
the substanta nigra, which is really located in the
midbrain, but is functonally related to the basal
ganglia.
 AMYGDALA:
Anatomically: part of basal ganglia
Functonally: part of the limbic system

GANGLIA BASALIA

C. LENTICULARIS

PUTAMEN
BUS PALLIDUS
NUC. CAUDATUS

CAPUT CORPUS CAUDA

 The caudate nucleus consists of a head, body,
and tail, and is located in the walls of the
lateral ventricle
The lentcular nucleus is composed of the
putamen and the globus pallidus
The nucleus accumbens is associated with the
limbic system, and processes the emotonal
aspects of movement
 The functons of basal ganglia
1. The basal ganglia play a major role in the initaton and
terminaton of movements.
Two parts of the basal ganglia, the caudate nucleus and the
putamen, receive input from sensory, associaton, and motor
areas of the cerebral cortex and from the substanta nigra.
Output from the basal ganglia comes from the globus pallidus and
substanta nigra, which send feedback signals to the upper motor
cortex by way of the thalamus.
This circuitfrom cortex to basal ganglia to thalamus to cortex
appears to functon in initatng and terminatng movements.
Neurons in the putamen generate impulses just before body
movements occur;
neurons in the caudate nucleus generate impulses just before eye
movements occur.
2. The basal ganglia suppress unwanted
movements by their inhibitory effects on the
thalamus and superior colliculus.
3. The basal ganglia influence muscle tone.
The globus pallidus sends impulses into the
retcular formaton that reduce muscle tone.
Damage or destructon of some basal ganglia
connectons causes a generalized increase in
muscle tone.
4. The basal ganglia influence many aspects of
cortcal functon, including sensory, limbic,
cognitve, and linguistc functons.
For example, the basal ganglia help initate
and terminate some cognitve processes, such
as attenton, memory, and planning.
In additon, the basal ganglia may act with the
limbic system to regulate emotonal behaviors.
Neurotransmitter
 Reflex
A reflex is a fast, involuntary, unplanned
sequence of actons that occurs in response to
a partcular stmulus.
 Functnal component of reflex
Sensory receptor.
The distal end of a sensory neuron (dendrite) or
an associated sensory structure serves as a
sensory receptor
Sensory neuron.
The nerve impulses ropagate from the sensory
receptor along the axon of the sensory neuron to
the axon terminals, which are located in the gray
matter of the spinal cord or brain stem.
 Integratng center.
One or more regions of gray matter within
the CNS act as an integratng center
Motor neuron
Efector
 Somatc reflex
The Stretch Reflex
A stretch reflex causes contracton of a
skeletal muscle (the effector) in response to
stretching of the muscle.
The Tendon Reflex
The stretch reflex operates as a feedback
mechanism to control muscle length by
causing muscle contraction.
1. Slight stretching of a muscle stmulates sensory
receptors in the muscle called muscle spindles.
The spindles monitor changes in the length of the
muscle.
2. In response to being stretched, a muscle spindle
generates one or more nerve impulses that
propagate along a somatc sensory neuron
through the posterior root of the spinal nerve and
into the spinal cord.
3. In the spinal cord (integratng center), the
sensory neuron makes an excitatory synapse with
and thereby actvates a motor neuron in the
anterior gray horn.
4. If the excitaton is strong enough, one or more
nerve impulses arise in the motor neuron and
propagate along its axon, which extends from
the spinal cord into the anterior root and
through peripheral nerves to the stmulated
muscle. The axon terminals of the motor
neuron form neuromuscular junctons (NMJs)
with skeletal muscle fibers of the stretched
muscle.
5. Acetylcholine released by nerve impulses at
the NMJs triggers one or more muscle acton
potentals in the stretched muscle (effector),
and the muscle contracts.
Thus, muscle stretch is followed by muscle
contracton, which relieves the stretching.
1. As the tension applied to a tendon increases,
the tendon organ (sensory receptor) is
stmulated (depolarized to threshold).
2. Nerve impulses arise and propagate into the
spinal cord along a sensory neuron.
3. Within the spinal cord (integratng center), the
sensory neuron actvates an inhibitory
interneuron that synapses with a motor
neuron.
4. The inhibitory neurotransmitter inhibits
(hyperpolarizes) the motor neuron, which
then generates fewer nerve impulses.
5. The muscle relaxes and relieves excess
tension.
1. Stepping on a tack stmulates the dendrites
(sensory receptor) of a pain-sensitve neuron.
2.This sensory neuron then generates nerve
impulses, which propagate into the spinal
cord.
3. Within the spinal cord (integratng center),
the sensory neuron actvates interneurons
that extend to several spinal cord segments.
4. The interneurons actvate motor neurons in
several spinal cord segments. As a result, the
motor neurons generate nerve impulses,
which propagate toward the axon terminals.
5. Acetylcholine released by the motor neurons
causes the flexor muscles in the thigh
(effectors) to contract, producing withdrawal
of the leg. This reflex is protectve because
contracton of flexor muscles moves a limb
away from the source of a possibly damaging
stmulus.
1. Stepping on a tack stmulates the sensory
receptor of a painsensitve neuron in the right
foot.
2. This sensory neuron then generates nerve
impulses, which propagate into the spinal
cord.
3. Within the spinal cord (integratng center),
the sensory neuron actvates several
interneurons that synapse with motor neurons
on the left side of the spinal cord in several
spinal cord segments. Thus, incoming pain
signals cross to the opposite side through
interneurons at that level, and at several levels
above and below the point of entry into the
spinal cord.
4. The interneurons excite motor neurons in
several spinal cord segments that innervate
extensor muscles. The motor neurons in turn
generate more nerve impulses, which
propagate toward the axon terminals.
5. Acetylcholine released by the motor neurons
causes extensor muscles in the thigh (effectors)
of the unstmulated left limb to contract,
producing extension of the left leg.
 Referensi
Tortora DJ & Derickson,B. 2012, Principle of
anatomy and physiology, 13th ed, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Patestas,MA & Gardner, LP., 2006, Text book of
Neuroanatomy, Blackwell Science Ltd,
a Blackwell Publishing company
Netter, FH, Craig, JA & Perkins J, 2002, Atlas of
Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, Icon
Custom Communicatons. All rights reserved.
Terima Kasih