Medial vestibulospinal tract

The medial or anterior vestibulospinal tract is an example of a descending motor tract which originates from the medial and inferior spinal vestibular nuclei situated in the floor of the fourth ventricle at the junction of pons and medulla oblongata. The motor neurons descend uncrossed in the anterior funiculus (or anterior white column)–only in the cervical and upper thoracic spinal segments–to terminate on the cell bodies of alpha and gamma motor neurons in the anterior gray columns of spinal cord. The anterior vestibulospinal tract controls muscle tone of neck and upper back muscles.

While the lateral and anterior vestibulospinal tracts function to adjust the axial body posture and head positioning. The connections of vestibular nuclei with the extra-ocular motor nuclei–via the medial longitudinal fasciculus (a.k.a. vestibulo-ocular reflex)–play an important role to bring about a corresponding adjustment of eye position and stabilization of gaze during head movements.