Brain stem nuclei Flashcards
Sensory nuclei of cranial nerves
Neurons receiving central branches of sensory nerves
E.g. somatosensory: spinal nucleus of trigeminal
viscerosensory: solitary nucleus
Motor nuclei of cranial nerves
Motoneuron axons leave brain stem and innervate striated muscle
E.g. ventrolateral group: motor nuclei of trigeminal and facial, ambiguus
dorsomedial group: motor nuclei of oculomotor, abducent, hypoglossal
Autonomous nuclei of cranial nerves
Group of neurons which axons leave brain stem and terminate in autonomous ganglia
E.g. Edinger-Westphal, sup. and inf. salivatory
Mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve
Pseudounipolar sensory neurons in midbrain
afferent: peripheral branch terminating in muscle spindle
efferent: central branch synapse with motoneurons
Relay nuclei of long ascending tracts
Neurons receiving axons from long ascending tracts
Efferent: axons to thalamus
E.g. gracile and cuneate nuclei
Precerebellar nuclei
Neurons with axons terminating in cerebral cortex/nuclei
Afferent: descending tract
E.g. inf. olivary nucleus, pontine nucleus
Sensory nuclei in acoustic system
Neurons receiving sensory fibers from acoustic nerve
Afferent: central branch of bipolar acoustic sensory neurons in spiral ganglion
Efferent: Axons to relay nuclei
E.g. dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei
Relay nuclei in acoustic system
Afferent: axons of sensory and lower order relay nuclei
Efferent: axons to higher order relay nucleus
E.g. sup. olivary nucleus, inferior colliculus
Vestibular sensory nuclei
Neurons receiving sensory nerve fibers from vestibular nerve
Afferent: central branch of bipolar vestibular sensory neurons in vestibular ganglia
Efferent: many tracts, ex. medial longitudinal fasciculus
Relay nuclei of long descending tract
Afferent: axons from various sources
Efferent: axons decend and terminate in spinal cord
E.g. red nucleus, superior colliculus
