97 - Dorsolateral Funiculus versus Posterolateral Tract: Are They Synonyms?

Poster Board Number: 97
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Abstract Body : The dorsolateral funiculus represents the main region of the spinal cord through which descending axons from the brainstem, primarily the rostroventral medulla, inhibit or facilitate the spinal nociceptive transmission (Burgess et al; 2002^a). Small diameter axons which subserve pain, itch, and temperature senses, enter the spinal cord in the posterolateral (Lissauer’s) tract, the white matter region that caps the dorsal horn (Martin, 2003^b). The posterolateral tract is then, considered part of the white matter of the spinal cord. These information raise a first question: are the dorsolateral funiculus and the posterolateral tract synonyms? In this authors view, the posterolateral tract is part of the dorsolateral funiculus. Nevertheless, in studying the most recent versions of the American and the Brazilian “Terminologia Anatomica”, the dorsolateral funiculus is not cited. Another issue that should be pointed out is that the region of the spinal cord this author is proposing to be included in the future “Terminologia Anatomica”, the dorsolateral funiculus, is often named not only as the synonym of the dorsolateral tract but also as Lissauer’s tract (Martin, 2003^b), posterolateral tract (Crossman & Neary, 2007^c), dorsolateral tract (Haines, 2008^d), dorsolateral fasciculus (Rubin & Safdieh, 2007^e; Haines, 1991^f) or posterolateral fasciculus (Rubin & Safdieh, 2008^g).

a) Burgess SE, et al. J. Neurosci. 22: 5129-5136. Thus, not only the addition of the dorsolateral funiculus in the Terminlogia Anatomica is necessary, but also a standardization of the terminology for posterolateral tract is mandatory.

b) Martin JH. Neuroanatomy. Text and Atlas, McGraw-Hill, 2003.

c) Crossman & Neary. Neuroanatomia Ilustrada. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 3^rd edition, 2008.

d) Haines DE. Neuroanatomy. An atlas of Structures, Sections and Systems. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 7^th edition, 2008

e) Rubin M & Safdieh JE. Netter’s Concise Neuroanatomy. Saunders Elsevier, 2007.

f) Haines DE. Neuroanatomia. Um Atlas de Estruturas, Cortes e Sistemas. Livraria Santos Editora, 2^nd edition, 1991.

g) Rubin M & Safdieh JE. Netter. Neuroanatomia Essencial. Saunders Elsevier, 2008.