Question

1. How could you test the functioning of the trochlear nerve without specialized medical equipment?

2. What is the function of the pyramidal tracts?

Answer 1

Answer

Answer 1)

Trochlear nerve is the fourth cranial nerve.

To examine normal functioning to trochlear nerve, examiner moves any object suc as a finger or a pen in vertical, horzontal and diagonal directions infront of patients eyes. The patient is asked to keep the head still and follow the movement of the object with their eyes.
During the procedure, patient is asked for the clarity of vision and if he is experiencing double vision while following the object. Also, patient's capability to look medially is examined.
If the patient is having clear vision of object and can follow the movement with their eyes, their trochlear nerve is considered to be healty.
Superior oblique muscle is controlled by trochlear nerve which is responsible for eye movements. To examine the functioning of superior oblique muscle, patients is said to perform a task looking down and in. For example, reading a book and walking down stairs. This will assess normal abduction eye through superior oblique muscle.  

Answer 2)

Function of pyramidal tracts

• The pyramidal tracts include corticobulbar tract and corticospinal tract.
• These are the collection of nerve that controls motor functions of the body.

1. Corticobulbar tract
   - Control of muscles of face and neck.
   - The activities such as mastication, facial expression and swallowing, tongue movement and phonation are controlled by corticobulbartract.
   
2. Corticospinal tract
   - Control the muscle of rest of the body.
   - Primarily involved in voluntary control of muscle in limbs.