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Corticobulbar Tract
The corticobulbar (or corticonuclear) tract is a two-neuron white matter motor pathway connecting the motor cortex in the cerebral cortex to the Medullary pyramids (brainstem), medullary pyramids, which are part of the brainstem's medulla oblongata (also called "bulbar") region, and are primarily involved in carrying the motor function of the non-oculomotor cranial nerves, like muscles of the face, head and neck. The corticobulbar tract is one of the pyramidal tracts, the other being the corticospinal tract. Structure The corticobulbar tract originates in the primary motor cortex of the frontal lobe, just superior to the lateral fissure and Anatomical terms of location#Rostral,cranial, and caudal, rostral to the central sulcus in the precentral gyrus (Brodmann area 4). The corticobulbar tract however also includes fibres from disparate regions from across the cerebral cortex (not limited to the frontal lobes). The tract descends through the corona radiata and then the Genu of int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White Matter
White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called Nerve tract, tracts. Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions. White matter is named for its relatively light appearance resulting from the lipid content of myelin. Its white color in prepared specimens is due to its usual preservation in formaldehyde. It appears pinkish-white to the naked eye otherwise, because myelin is composed largely of lipid tissue veined with capillaries. Structure White matter White matter is composed of bundles, which connect various grey matter areas (the locations of nerve cell bodies) of the brain to each other, and carry nerve impulses between neurons. Myelin acts as an insulator, which allows saltatory conduction, electrical signals to jump, rather than cour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Internal Capsule
The internal capsule is a paired white matter structure, as a two-way nerve tract, tract, carrying afferent nerve fiber, ascending and efferent nerve fiber, descending axon, fibers, to and from the cerebral cortex. The internal capsule is situated in the Anatomical terms of location#Medial and lateral, inferomedial part of each cerebral hemisphere of the brain. It carries information past the subcortical basal ganglia. As it courses it separates the caudate nucleus and the thalamus from the putamen and the globus pallidus. It also separates the caudate nucleus and the putamen in the dorsal striatum, a brain region involved in motor and reward pathways. The internal capsule is V-shaped in transection forming an anterior and posterior limb, with the angle between them called the genu. The corticospinal tract constitutes a large part of the internal capsule, carrying motor information from the primary motor cortex to the lower motor neurons in the spinal cord. Above the basal gangli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Glossopharyngeal Nerve
The glossopharyngeal nerve (), also known as the ninth cranial nerve, cranial nerve IX, or simply CN IX, is a cranial nerve that exits the brainstem from the sides of the upper Medulla oblongata, medulla, just anterior (closer to the nose) to the vagus nerve. Being a mixed nerve (sensorimotor), it carries afferent sensory and efferent motor information. The motor division of the glossopharyngeal nerve is derived from the Basal plate (neural tube), basal plate of the embryonic medulla oblongata, whereas the sensory division originates from the cranial neural crest. Structure From the anterior portion of the medulla oblongata, the glossopharyngeal nerve passes laterally across or below the Flocculus (cerebellar), flocculus, and leaves the skull through the central part of the jugular foramen. From the superior and inferior ganglia in jugular foramen, it has its own sheath of dura mater. The inferior ganglion on the inferior surface of petrous part of temporal is related with a tri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Facial Nerve
The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. The nerve typically travels from the pons through the facial canal in the temporal bone and exits the skull at the stylomastoid foramen. It arises from the brainstem from an area posterior to the cranial nerve VI (abducens nerve) and anterior to cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear nerve). The facial nerve also supplies preganglionic parasympathetic fibers to several head and neck ganglia. The facial and intermediate nerves can be collectively referred to as the nervus intermediofacialis. The path of the facial nerve can be divided into six segments: # intracranial (cisternal) segment (from brainstem pons to internal auditory canal) # meatal (canalicular) segment (with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trigeminal Nerve
In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve (literal translation, lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for Sense, sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chewing; it is the most complex of the cranial nerves. Its name (''trigeminal'', ) derives from each of the two nerves (one on each side of the pons) having three major branches: the ophthalmic nerve (V), the maxillary nerve (V), and the mandibular nerve (V). The ophthalmic and maxillary nerves are purely sensory, whereas the mandibular nerve supplies motor as well as sensory (or "cutaneous") functions. Adding to the complexity of this nerve is that Autonomic nervous system, autonomic nerve fibers as well as special sensory fibers (taste) are contained within it. The motor division of the trigeminal nerve derives from the Basal plate (neural tube), basal plate of the embryonic pons, and the sensory division originates in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cranial Nerve Nuclei
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 nuclei. Lesions occurring at these nuclei can lead to effects resembling those seen by the severing of nerve(s) they are associated with. All the nuclei except that of the trochlear nerve (CN IV) supply nerves of the same side of the body. Structure Motor and sensory In general, motor nuclei are closer to the front (ventral), and sensory nuclei and neurons are closer to the back (dorsal). This arrangement mirrors the arrangement of tracts in the spinal cord. * Close to the midline are the motor efferent nuclei, such as the oculomotor nucleus, which control skeletal muscle. Just lateral to this are the autonomic (or visceral) efferent nuclei. * There is a separation, called the sulcus limitans, and lateral to this are the sensory nuclei. Near ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motor Neuron
A motor neuron (or motoneuron), also known as efferent neuron is a neuron whose cell body is located in the motor cortex, brainstem or the spinal cord, and whose axon (fiber) projects to the spinal cord or outside of the spinal cord to directly or indirectly control effector organs, mainly muscles and glands. There are two types of motor neuron – upper motor neurons and lower motor neurons. Axons from upper motor neurons synapse onto interneurons in the spinal cord and occasionally directly onto lower motor neurons. The axons from the lower motor neurons are efferent nerve fibers that carry signals from the spinal cord to the effectors. Types of lower motor neurons are alpha motor neurons, beta motor neurons, and gamma motor neurons. A single motor neuron may innervate many muscle fibres and a muscle fibre can undergo many action potentials in the time taken for a single muscle twitch. Innervation takes place at a neuromuscular junction and twitches can become superimpo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cranial Nerves
Cranial nerves are the nerves that emerge directly from the brain (including the brainstem), of which there are conventionally considered twelve pairs. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain and parts of the body, primarily to and from regions of the head and neck, including the special senses of Visual perception, vision, taste, Olfaction, smell, and hearing. The cranial nerves emerge from the central nervous system above the level of the Atlas (anatomy), first vertebra of the vertebral column. Each cranial nerve is paired and is present on both sides. There are conventionally twelve pairs of cranial nerves, which are described with Roman numerals I–XII. Some considered there to be thirteen pairs of cranial nerves, including the non-paired cranial nerve zero. The numbering of the cranial nerves is based on the order in which they emerge from the brain and brainstem, from front to back. The terminal nerves (0), olfactory nerves (I) and optic nerves (II) emerge f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upper Motor Neuron
Upper motor neurons (UMNs) is a term introduced by William Gowers in 1886. They are found in the cerebral cortex and brainstem and carry information down to activate interneurons and lower motor neurons, which in turn directly signal muscles to contract or relax. UMNs represent the major origin point for voluntary somatic movement. Upper motor neurons represent the largest pyramidal cells in the motor regions of the cerebral cortex. The major cell type of the UMNs is the '' Betz cells'' residing in layer V of the primary motor cortex, located on the precentral gyrus in the posterior frontal lobe. The cell bodies of Betz cell neurons are the largest in the brain, approaching nearly 0.1 mm in diameter. The axons of the upper motor neurons project out of the precentral gyrus travelling through to the brainstem, where they will decussate (intersect) within the lower medulla oblongata to form the lateral corticospinal tract on each side of the spinal cord. The fibers that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solitary Nucleus
The solitary nucleus (SN) (nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus solitarius, or nucleus tractus solitarii) is a series of neurons whose cell bodies form a roughly vertical column of grey matter in the medulla oblongata of the brainstem. Their axons form the bulk of the enclosed solitary tract. The solitary nucleus can be divided into different parts including dorsomedial, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral subnuclei. The solitary nucleus receives general visceral and special visceral inputs from the facial nerve (CN VII), glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and vagus nerve (CN X); it receives and relays stimuli related to taste and visceral sensation. It sends outputs to various parts of the brain, such as the hypothalamus, thalamus, and reticular formation, forming circuits that contribute to autonomic regulation. Cells along the length of the SN are arranged roughly in accordance with function; for instance, cells involved in taste are located in the rostral part, while those rec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cuneate Nucleus
The dorsal column nuclei are a pair of nuclei in the dorsal columns of the dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway (DCML) in the brainstem. The name refers collectively to the cuneate nucleus and gracile nucleus, which are situated at the lower end of the medulla oblongata. Both nuclei contain second-order neurons of the DCML, which convey fine touch and proprioceptive information from the body to the brain via the thalamus. Structure Nerve pathways The dorsal column nuclei each have an associated nerve tract in the spinal cord, the gracile fasciculus and the cuneate fasciculus, together forming the dorsal columns. Both dorsal column nuclei contain synapses from afferent nerve fibers that have travelled in the spinal cord. They then send on second-order neurons of the dorsal column–medial lemniscal pathway. Neurons of the dorsal column nuclei eventually reach the midbrain and the thalamus. They send axons that form the internal arcuate fibers. These cross over ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gracile Nucleus
The dorsal column nuclei are a pair of nuclei in the dorsal columns of the dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway (DCML) in the brainstem. The name refers collectively to the cuneate nucleus and gracile nucleus, which are situated at the lower end of the medulla oblongata. Both nuclei contain second-order neurons of the DCML, which convey fine touch and proprioceptive information from the body to the brain via the thalamus. Structure Nerve pathways The dorsal column nuclei each have an associated nerve tract in the spinal cord, the gracile fasciculus and the cuneate fasciculus, together forming the dorsal columns. Both dorsal column nuclei contain synapses from afferent nerve fibers that have travelled in the spinal cord. They then send on second-order neurons of the dorsal column–medial lemniscal pathway. Neurons of the dorsal column nuclei eventually reach the midbrain and the thalamus. They send axons that form the internal arcuate fibers. These cross over at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
