ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with neurons whose cell bodies are located in the lumbosacral spinal cord and which contribute to the processing of tactile and pain sensations. Some glutamate-containing boutons were found to be postsynaptic to gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing boutons, suggesting that postsynaptic dorsal column neurons are controlled by presynaptic inhibition. Postsynaptic dorsal column neurons in the dorsal horn respond to stimuli applied to the skin. The spinocervical tract is another pathway that originates in the spinal cord gray matter and provides somatosensory information to the thalamus after a synaptic relay. Neurons of the spinocervical tract (SCT) are distributed in the dorsal horn in a somatotopically organized manner. Neurons of the SCT typically respond vigorously to weak mechanical stimuli although many have a convergent nociceptive input. The spinothalamic tract originates in the spinal cord and terminates largely in the contralateral thalamus, although there are some ipsilateral projections as well.
