Pontine nuclei

Parts of the mammalian brain

Pontine nuclei

Cross section through the lower pons showing the pontine nuclei (#22) and the pontocerebellar fibers emerging from them to become the middle cerebellar peduncle

Details
Identifiers
Latin| nuclei pontis
NeuroNames| 617
NeuroLex ID| birnlex_1516
TA98| A14.1.05.202
TA2| 5926
FMA| 72512
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

[edit on Wikidata]

The pontine nuclei (or griseum pontis) are all neurons of the ventral pons collectively. Corticopontine fibres project from the primary motor cortex to the ipsilateral pontine nucleus; pontocerebellar fibers then relay the information to the contralateral cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle.

They involved in motor function: the pontine nuclei are involved in adjusting movements according to their outcome (movement error correction), and are therefore important in learning motor skills.[citation needed]

## Anatomy

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The pontine nuclei encompass all of the about 20 million neurons scattered throughout the basilar part of pons.[1] The pontine nuclei nuclei extend caudally into the medulla oblongata as the arcuate nucleus which is functionally homologous with the pontine nuclei.[citation needed]

### Afferents

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Corticopontine fibres arise primarily from the neocortex layer V of the premotor, somatosensory, non-striate visual, posterior parietal, and cingulate cerebral cortex; there are also a few fibers originating from the prefrontal, temporal, and striate cortex.[1]

Pontine nuclei also receive afferents from the lateral geniculate nucleus, superior colliculus, pretectal nuclei, hypothalamus, medial mammillary nucleus, cerebellum trigeminal nuclei, dorsal column nuclei, locus coeruleus, periaqueductal gray, raphe nuclei, and reticular formation.[1]

### Efferents

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Pontocerebellar fibers are the sole efferent pathway of the pontine nuclei. The fibers mostly decussate within the pons to pass through the (contralateral) middle cerebellar peduncle to terminate in the contralateral cerebellum as mossy fibers; they form terminal synapses in the cerebellar cortex, but also issue collaterals to the cerebellar nuclei.[1]

## Neurophysiology

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Likely, all of the neurons of the pontine nuclei are glutaminergic.[1]

## See also

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* Corticopontocerebellar tract

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York: Elsevier. pp. 451–452. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.

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* t
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Anatomy of the pons

Dorsal/
(tegmentum)|

| Surface|

* Cerebellopontine angle
* Superior medullary velum
* Sulcus limitans
* Medial eminence
* Facial colliculus

|

White: Sensory|

* Trapezoid body
* Trigeminal lemniscus
* Dorsal trigeminal tract
* Ventral trigeminal tract
* Medial lemniscus
* Lateral lemniscus
* Central tegmental tract
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers

White: Motor|

* Inferior cerebellar peduncle
* Vestibulocerebellar tract
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Vestibulospinal tract
* Medial vestibulospinal tract
* Lateral vestibulospinal tract

Grey: Cranial nuclei|

| afferent:|

* GSA
* Trigeminal
* Principal
* Spinal
* Cochlear nucleus
* Dorsal
* Anterior
* Vestibular nuclei
* Superior

|

efferent:|

* SVE: Trigeminal motor nucleus
* Facial motor nucleus
* GSE: Abducens nucleus
* GVE: Superior salivary nucleus
* Inferior salivary nucleus

Grey: Other nuclei|

* Pedunculopontine nucleus
* Apneustic center
* Pneumotaxic center
* Parabrachial nuclei
* Subparabrachial nucleus
* Medial parabrachial nucleus
* Lateral parabrachial nucleus
* Superior olivary nucleus
* Locus coeruleus

Ventral/
(base)|

| Grey|

* Pontine nuclei

|

White: Motor/descending|

* Corticospinal tract
* Corticobulbar tract
* Corticopontine fibers
* MCP
* Pontocerebellar fibers

Surface|

* Basilar sulcus

Other grey: Raphe/
reticular|

* Reticular formation
* Caudal
* Oral
* Tegmental
* Paramedian
* Raphe nuclei
* Median

Authority control databases |

* Terminologia Anatomica

|

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