Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

What pathway is responsible for transmitting sensations of heat from the skin to the primary somatosensory cortex?

1. lateral corticospinal tract

2. anterior corticospinal tract

3. anterolateral system

4. posterior column-medial lemniscal system

The correct answer is: anterolateral system

The correct answer is the anterolateral system, which is essential for transmitting sensations of heat and pain from the skin to the primary somatosensory cortex. This system encompasses pathways like the spinothalamic tract, which carries sensory information related to temperature and pain. When heat activates sensory receptors in the skin, the information is relayed through the peripheral nervous system to the spinal cord. From there, the anterolateral system processes and transmits these signals up to the thalamus and then to the primary somatosensory cortex, enabling the perception of temperature. In contrast, the lateral corticospinal tract and the anterior corticospinal tract primarily carry motor signals from the brain to the spinal cord to control voluntary muscle movements, rather than sensory information. The posterior column-medial lemniscal system is responsible for transmitting fine touch and proprioception sensations, not for heat or pain sensations. Understanding the specific functions of these pathways is crucial for grasping how different sensory modalities are processed within the nervous system.