Which of the following statements regarding sensory pathways is correct?
A) All somatic sensory information that reaches the cerebral cortex is first processed in the thalamus.
B) Somatic sensory information from the left side of the body projects to the left side of the somatosensory cortex.
C) All somatic sensory information travels together in a single tract in the spinal cord.
D) Ascending pathways in the anterolateral column of the spinal cord carry information about fine touch discrimination.
E) Ascending pathways in the dorsal column of the spinal cord carry information about pain from the back muscles.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All somatic sensory information travels through the thalamus before reaching the cerebral cortex. Option B is incorrect because somatic sensory information is contralaterally processed in the somatosensory cortex, meaning that information from the left side of the body projects to the right side of the somatosensory cortex. Option C is incorrect because somatic sensory information travels in multiple tracts in the spinal cord. Option D is incorrect because ascending pathways in the dorsal column of the spinal cord carry information about fine touch discrimination, not anterolateral pathways. Option E is incorrect because ascending pathways in the anterolateral column of the spinal cord carry pain and temperature information, not the dorsal column.

Which of the Following Statements Regarding Sensory Pathways Is Correct