lateral spinothalamic tract

The lateral spinothalamic tract transmits pain and temperature.

The neurons of the lateral spinothalamic tract originate in the spinal ganglia.

Interruption of lateral spinothalamic tracts:

The spinoreticular tract is an ascending pathway in the white matter of the spinal cord, positioned closely to the lateral spinothalamic tract.

Together with the anterior, or ventral spinothalamic tract, the lateral spinothalamic tract is sometimes termed the secondary sensory fasciculus or spinal lemniscus.

There are two main parts: the lateral spinothalamic tract, which transmits pain and temperature, and the anterior (or ventral) spinothalamic tract, which transmits crude touch and pressure.

The lateral spinothalamic tract (or lateral spinothalamic fasciculus), which is a part of the Anterolateral system, is a bundle of sensory axons ascending through the white matter of the spinal cord, carrying sensory information to the brain.

Loss of pain and temperature are due to damage to the lateral spinothalamic tracts, which cross the central part of the cord close to the level where they enter it and travel up the spinal column on the opposite side to the one they innervate (i.e. they ascend contralaterally).