Diagram of sensory pathway. The first order neurons have their cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia and central processes that enter the spinal cord via the dorsal sensory root. Sensory information enters the spinal cord on the same side of the body as the stimulus. Mike explains the different pathways that send fine touch and pain signals to the brain and why understanding them is so important. The first is a somatic ns pathway and the second is a central ns pathway.
Finally the organization of the thalamus serving as the major relay for sensory and other information traveling to the cortex will be reviewed. In the diencephalon sensory pathways reach the thalamus. However we will use the term in its more loosely and commonly applied context to include input from all receptors whether their signals reach the conscious level or not. Ascending tracts cross over the midline of the body to the contralateral side of the thalamusthe thalamus directs the signal to the cerebral cortex for conscious perception.
Somatosensory pathways including the posterior columns medial lemniscal pathway spinothalamic tract and other anterolateral pathways and somatosensory cortex. These cells arise from the dorsal root ganglion. Sensory input to the brain enters through pathways that travel through either the spinal cord for somatosensory input from the body or the brain stem for everything else except the visual and olfactory systems to reach the diencephalon. This is necessary for all sensory systems to reach the cerebral cortex except for the olfactory system that is directly connected to the frontal and temporal lobes.
S ensory pathways include only those routes which conduct information to the conscious cortex of the brain. The pathway is direct with very few neurones involved. Sample somatic nervous system pathways pain signals are delivered to the brain by a route that involves two nervous system ns pathways. Sensory neurons form the afferent sensory pathway of the central nervous system.
Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision hearing somatic sensation touch taste and olfaction smell.