The nucleus of Darkschewitsch is an accessory oculomotor nucleus situated in the ventrolateral portion of the

periaqueductal gray The periaqueductal gray (PAG), also known as the central gray, is a brain region that plays a critical role in autonomic function, motivated behavior and behavioural responses to threatening stimuli. PAG is also the primary control center for ...

of the mesencephalon (midbrain) near its junction with the

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 t ...

. It is involved in mediating vertical eye movements. It projects to the

trochlear nucleus The trochlear nucleus () is the motor nucleus of the trochlear nerve ( cranial nerve IV). It is located in the medial midbrain. Structure The trochlear nucleus is located in the midbrain, at an intercollicular level between the superior collic ...

, receives afferents from the visual cortex, and forms a reciprocal (looping) connection with the cerebellum by way of the

inferior olive The inferior olivary nucleus (ION) is a structure found in the medulla oblongata underneath the superior olivary nucleus.Gado, Thomas A. Woolsey; Joseph Hanaway; Mokhtar H. (2003). The brain atlas a visual guide to the human central nervous syste ...

Anatomy

Connections

It receives afferents from the visual association areas (via the corticotectal tract),

vestibular nuclei The vestibular nuclei (VN) are the cranial nuclei for the vestibular nerve located in the brainstem. In Terminologia Anatomica, they are grouped in both the pons and the medulla in the brainstem The brainstem (or brain stem) is the poste ...

(via 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 ...

), 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 The inferior cerebellar peduncle is formed by fibers of the restiform body that join with fibers from the much smaller juxtarestiform body. The inferior cerebellar peduncle is the smallest of the three cerebellar peduncles. The upper part of t ...

→ (contralateral)

globose nucleus The globose nucleus is one of the deep cerebellar nuclei. It is located medial to the emboliform nucleus, and lateral to the fastigial nucleus. The ''globose nucleus'' and emboliform nucleus are known collectively as the interposed nuclei. The ...

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 ...

→

superior cerebellar peduncle In the human brain, the superior cerebellar peduncle (brachium conjunctivum) is one of the three paired cerebellar peduncles of bundled fibers that connect the cerebellum to the brainstem. The superior cerebellar peduncle connects to the midbrain. ...

(decussation) → (rostral part of) medial accessory olivary nucleus → (ipsilateral) nucleus of Darkschewitsch). It projects (directly or indirectly) to the

Relations

It is situated near the

oculomotor nucleus The fibers of the oculomotor nerve arise from a nucleus in the midbrain, which lies in the gray substance of the floor of the cerebral aqueduct and extends in front of the aqueduct for a short distance into the floor of the third ventricle. F ...

. It is situated just dorsomedial to the

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 ...

, the

, and

red nucleus The red nucleus or nucleus ruber is a structure in the rostral midbrain involved in motor coordination. The red nucleus is pale pink, which is believed to be due to the presence of iron in at least two different forms: hemoglobin and ferritin. ...

References

{{Reflist Brainstem nuclei