The dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve (or posterior nucleus of vagus nerve or dorsal vagal nucleus or nucleus dorsalis nervi vagi or nucleus posterior nervi vagi) is a

cranial nerve nucleus A cranial nerve nucleus is a collection of neuron cell bodies (gray matter) in the brain stem that is associated with one or more of the cranial nerves. Axons carrying information to and from the cranial nerves form a synapse first at these nucle ...

of the vagus nerve (CN X) situated in the

medulla oblongata The medulla oblongata or simply medulla is a long stem-like structure which makes up the lower part of the brainstem. It is anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involun ...

of the brainstem ventral to the floor of the

fourth ventricle The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human brain. These cavities, known collectively as the ventricular system, consist of the left and right lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ...

. It contains nerve cell bodies of

parasympathetic The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is one of the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system, the others being the sympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulat ...

neurons of CN X that provide parasympathetic innervation to the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

and

lungs The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart. Their function in the respiratory syste ...

as well as other

thoracic The thorax (: thoraces or thoraxes) or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main ...

and abdominal organs. These functions include, among others, bronchoconstriction and gland secretion. Cell bodies of pre-ganglionic parasympathetic neurons of CN X that innervate the heart meanwhile reside in the nucleus ambiguus, and additional cell bodies of the nucleus ambiguus give rise to the branchial efferent motor fibers of the vagus nerve (CN X) terminating in the laryngeal, and pharyngeal muscles, and musculus uvulae muscle.

Additional images

File:Gray694.png, Section of the medulla oblongata at about the middle of the olive. File:Gray696.png, The cranial nerve nuclei schematically represented; dorsal view. Motor nuclei in red; sensory in blue. File:Dorsal motor nucleus of Vagus with Lewy body pathology (alpha synucleinopathy).svg, Dorsal motor nucleus of Vagus with Lewy body pathology

References

External links

* * Vagus nerve Cranial nerve nuclei Medulla oblongata {{neuroanatomy-stub

Additional images

See also

References

External links