Accessory Oculomotor Nuclei
   HOME





Accessory Oculomotor Nuclei
The accessory oculomotor nuclei are a group of nuclei situated in the rostral mesencephalon (midbrain) near its junction with the diencephalon, and consist of: * Interstitial nucleus of Cajal * Rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus * Nucleus of Darkschewitsch * Nucleus of the posterior commissure These nuclei are involved in vertical and rotatory gaze (physiology), and smooth pursuit. They receive afferents from the visual association area; they project efferents through the medial longitudinal fasciculus The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) is a prominent bundle of nerve fibres which pass within the ventral/anterior portion of periaqueductal gray of the mesencephalon (midbrain). It contains the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, responsible ... to the nuclei of cranial nerves controlling extrinsic eye muscles. References {{Reflist Brainstem nuclei ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Edinger–Westphal Nucleus
The Edinger–Westphal nucleus also called the accessory or visceral oculomotor nerve, is one of the two nuclei of the oculomotor nerve (CN III) located in the midbrain. It receives afferents from both pretectal nuclei (which have in turn received afferents from the optic tract). It contains parasympathetic pre-ganglionic neuron cell bodies that synapse in the ciliary ganglion. It contributes the autonomic, parasympathetic component to the oculomotor nerve (CN III), ultimately providing innervation to the iris sphincter muscle and ciliary muscle to mediate the pupillary light reflex and accommodation, respectively. The Edinger–Westphal nucleus has two parts. The first is of preganglionic fibers (EWpg) that terminate in the ciliary ganglion. The second is of centrally projecting cells (EWcp) that project to a number of brainstem structures. Structure The Edinger–Westphal nucleus refers to the adjacent population of non-preganglionic neurons that do not project to the cilia ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Nucleus (neuroanatomy)
In neuroanatomy, a nucleus (: nuclei) is a cluster of neurons in the central nervous system, located deep within the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem. The neurons in one nucleus usually have roughly similar connections and functions. Nuclei are connected to other nuclei by tracts, the bundles (fascicles) of axons (nerve fibers) extending from the cell bodies. A nucleus is one of the two most common forms of nerve cell organization, the other being layered structures such as the cerebral cortex or cerebellar cortex. In anatomical sections, a nucleus shows up as a region of gray matter, often bordered by white matter. The vertebrate brain contains hundreds of distinguishable nuclei, varying widely in shape and size. A nucleus may itself have a complex internal structure, with multiple types of neurons arranged in clumps (subnuclei) or layers. The term "nucleus" is in some cases used rather loosely, to mean simply an identifiably distinct group of neurons, even if they are sprea ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Midbrain
The midbrain or mesencephalon is the uppermost portion of the brainstem connecting the diencephalon and cerebrum with the pons. It consists of the cerebral peduncles, tegmentum, and tectum. It is functionally associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.Breedlove, Watson, & Rosenzweig. Biological Psychology, 6th Edition, 2010, pp. 45-46 The name ''mesencephalon'' comes from the Greek ''mesos'', "middle", and ''enkephalos'', "brain". Structure The midbrain is the shortest segment of the brainstem, measuring less than 2cm in length. It is situated mostly in the posterior cranial fossa, with its superior part extending above the tentorial notch. The principal regions of the midbrain are the tectum, the cerebral aqueduct, tegmentum, and the cerebral peduncles. Rostral and caudal, Rostrally the midbrain adjoins the diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, etc.), while Rostral and caudal, cau ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Diencephalon
In the human brain, the diencephalon (or interbrain) is a division of the forebrain (embryonic ''prosencephalon''). It is situated between the telencephalon and the midbrain (embryonic ''mesencephalon''). The diencephalon has also been known as the tweenbrain in older literature. It consists of structures that are on either side of the third ventricle, including the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the epithalamus and the subthalamus. The diencephalon is one of the main brain vesicle, vesicles of the brain formed during human embryonic development, embryonic development. During the third week of development a neural tube is created from the ectoderm, one of the three primary germ layers, and forms three main vesicles: the prosencephalon, the Midbrain, mesencephalon and the Hindbrain, rhombencephalon. The prosencephalon gradually divides into the telencephalon (the cerebrum) and the diencephalon. Structure The diencephalon consists of the following structures: * Thalamus * Hypothalamus ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Interstitial Nucleus Of Cajal
The interstitial nucleus of Cajal is a collection of neurons in the mesencephalon (midbrain) which are involved in integrating eye position-velocity information in order to coordinate head-eye movements - especially those related to vertical and torsional conjugate eye movements (gaze). It also mediates vertical gaze holding. Bilateral projections to the oculomotor (cranial nerve III) and trochlear (cranial nerve IV) nuclei represent its principal outputs. It forms reciprocal connections with vestibular nuclei. It also has additional afferents and efferents. Some of the nucleus' connections pass through the medial longitudinal fasciculus, and the posterior commissure. It is one of the accessory oculomotor nuclei. Anatomy The interstitial nucleus of Cajal is a diffuse collection of mid-sized, parvalbumin-containing premotor neurons of the midbrain reticular formation. Connections The nucleus forms reciprocal connections with the vestibular nuclei (through the MLF). It f ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Rostral Interstitial Nucleus Of Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
The rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus (riMLF) is a collection of neurons in the medial longitudinal fasciculus in the midbrain. It is responsible for mediating vertical conjugate eye movements (vertical gaze (physiology), gaze) and vertical saccades. It mostly projects efferents to the ipsilateral oculomotor and trochlear nuclei. To mediate downgaze, it projects efferents to the ipsilateral oculomotor nucleus and trochlear nucleus; mediate upgaze, it projects efferents to the contralateral aforementioned nuclei through the posterior commissure. It is one of the accessory oculomotor nuclei. Anatomy Structure The riMLF is a wing-shaped nucleus. The riMLF contains two populations of neurons: excitatory burst neurons mediating vertical gaze/saccades, as well as omnipause neurons which are functionally similar to those mediating horizontal gaze. Relations It is situated at the caudal extremity of the mesencephalon at its junction with the telenceph ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Nucleus Of Darkschewitsch
The nucleus of Darkschewitsch is an accessory oculomotor nucleus situated in the ventrolateral portion of the periaqueductal gray of the mesencephalon (midbrain) near its junction with the diencephalon. It is involved in mediating vertical eye movements. It projects to the trochlear nucleus, receives afferents from the visual cortex, and forms a reciprocal (looping) connection with the cerebellum by way of the inferior olive. Anatomy Connections It receives afferents from the visual association areas (via the corticotectal tract), vestibular nuclei (via the medial longitudinal fasciculus), and from the spinomesencephalic tract. It gives rise to the medial tegmental tract to project efferents to the (rostral portion of) medial accessory olivary nucleus → ((decussation) inferior cerebellar peduncle → (contralateral) globose nucleus of cerebellum → superior cerebellar peduncle (decussation) → (rostral part of) medial accessory olivary nucleus → (ipsilateral) nu ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Nucleus Of The Posterior Commissure
The nucleus of the posterior commissure is one of the accessory oculomotor nuclei situated in the mesencephalon (midbrain) at its junction with the diencephalon. It is involved in coordinating head-eye movements (particularly vertical conjugate eye movements (gaze)). It is situated near the oculomotor nucleus. It is thought to receive afferents from the ipsilateral cerebellum The cerebellum (: cerebella or cerebellums; Latin for 'little brain') is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as it or eve .... References {{Reflist Brainstem nuclei ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Gaze (physiology)
The term gaze is frequently used in physiology to describe coordinated motion of the eyes and neck. The lateral gaze is controlled by the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF). The vertical gaze is controlled by the rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus and the interstitial nucleus of Cajal. Nerves and muscles The three nerves that control the extraocular muscles are the oculomotor, trochlear nerve, trochlear, and abducens nerves, which are the third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerves. the abducens nerve is responsible for abducting the eye, which it controls through contraction of the lateral rectus muscle. The trochlear nerve controls the superior oblique muscle to rotate the eye along its axis in the orbit medially, which is called intorsion, and is a component of focusing the eyes on an object close to the face. The oculomotor nerve controls all the other extraocular muscles, as well as a muscle of the upper eyelid. Conjugate gaze The ''conjugat ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Smooth Pursuit
In the scientific study of vision, smooth pursuit describes a type of eye movement in which the eyes remain fixated on a moving object. It is one of two ways that visual animals can voluntarily shift gaze, the other being saccadic eye movements. Pursuit differs from the vestibulo-ocular reflex, which only occurs during movements of the head and serves to stabilize gaze on a stationary object. Most people are unable to initiate pursuit without a moving visual signal. The pursuit of targets moving with velocities of greater than 30°/s tends to require catch-up saccades. Smooth pursuit is asymmetric: most humans and primates tend to be better at horizontal than vertical smooth pursuit, as defined by their ability to pursue smoothly without making ''catch-up saccades''. Most humans are also better at downward than upward pursuit. Pursuit is modified by ongoing visual feedback. Measurement There are two basic methods for recording smooth pursuit eye movements, and eye movement in g ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Visual Association Area
The visual cortex of the brain is the area of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information. It is located in the occipital lobe. Sensory input originating from the eyes travels through the lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus and then reaches the visual cortex. The area of the visual cortex that receives the sensory input from the lateral geniculate nucleus is the primary visual cortex, also known as visual area 1 ( V1), Brodmann area 17, or the striate cortex. The extrastriate areas consist of visual areas 2, 3, 4, and 5 (also known as V2, V3, V4, and V5, or Brodmann area 18 and all Brodmann area 19). Both hemispheres of the brain include a visual cortex; the visual cortex in the left hemisphere receives signals from the right visual field, and the visual cortex in the right hemisphere receives signals from the left visual field. Introduction The primary visual cortex (V1) is located in and around the calcarine fissure in the occipital lobe. Each hemisphere's ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) is a prominent bundle of nerve fibres which pass within the ventral/anterior portion of periaqueductal gray of the mesencephalon (midbrain). It contains the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, responsible for oculomotor control, head posture, and vertical eye movement. The MLF interconnects interneurons of each abducens nucleus with motor neurons of the contralateral oculomotor nucleus; thus, the MLF mediates coordination of horizontal (side to side) eye movements, ensuring the two eyes move in unison (thus also enabling saccadic eye movements). The MLF also contains fibers projecting from the vestibular nuclei to the oculomotor and trochlear nuclei as well as the interstitial nucleus of Cajal; these connections ensure that eye movements are coordinated with head movements (as sensed by the vestibular system). The medial longitudinal fasciculus is the main central connection for the oculomotor nerve, trochlear nerve, and abduce ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]