Final answer:
The spinothalamic tract is an ascending pathway in the spinal cord that is associated with pain and temperature sensations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spinothalamic tract is an ascending pathway in the spinal cord that is associated with pain and temperature sensations. It begins with sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion, which then synapse with a second neuron in the dorsal horn. The second neuron, called the spinothalamic neuron, has its cell body in the spinal cord gray matter and connects to the thalamus. Axons from the spinothalamic neuron decussate within the spinal cord and ascend to the brain, where they synapse with a third neuron in the thalamus. The neurons in the thalamus then project their axons to the spinothalamic tract, which ultimately synapses in the postcentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex.