The dorsal trigeminal tract (also dorsal trigeminothalamic tract, or posterior trigeminothalamic tract) are un
crossed second-order sensory fibers conveying fine (discriminative) touch and pressure information from the dorsomedial division of
principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve
The principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve (or chief sensory nucleus of V, main trigeminal sensory nucleus) is a group of second-order neurons which have cell bodies in the caudal pons.
It receives information about discriminative sensatio ...
to the ipsilateral
ventral posteromedial nucleus
The ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) is a nucleus within the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus and serves an analogous somatosensory relay role for the ascending trigeminothalamic tracts as its lateral neighbour the ventral posterolat ...
of
thalamus
The thalamus (: thalami; from Greek language, Greek Wikt:θάλαμος, θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter on the lateral wall of the third ventricle forming the wikt:dorsal, dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of ...
. Second-order fibers from the ventrolateral division of the principal sensory nucleus meanwhile cross-over to ascend contralaterally in the
ventral trigeminal tract
The ventral trigeminal tract, ventral trigeminothalamic tract, anterior trigeminal tract, or anterior trigeminothalamic tract, is a tract composed of second-order neuronal axons. These afferent fibers carry sensory information about discriminati ...
along with those fibers arising from the
spinal trigeminal nucleus
The spinal trigeminal nucleus is a nucleus in the medulla that receives information about deep/crude touch, pain, and temperature from the ipsilateral face. In addition to the trigeminal nerve (CN V), the facial (CN VII), glossopharyngeal (CN ...
.
The DTT may be likened functionally to the
medial lemniscus
The medial lemniscus, also known as Reil's band or Reil's ribbon (for German anatomist Johann Christian Reil), is a large ascending bundle of heavily myelinated axons that decussate in the brainstem
The brainstem (or brain stem) is the pos ...
.
Trigeminal ganglion
The trigeminal ganglion (also known as: Gasserian ganglion, semilunar ganglion, or Gasser's ganglion) is the sensory ganglion of each trigeminal nerve (CN V). The trigeminal ganglion is located within the trigeminal cave (Meckel's cave), a cav ...
→
first-order neurons → dorsomedial division of
principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve
The principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve (or chief sensory nucleus of V, main trigeminal sensory nucleus) is a group of second-order neurons which have cell bodies in the caudal pons.
It receives information about discriminative sensatio ...
(in pons) (synapse) → second-order neurons →
trigeminal lemniscus
The trigeminal lemniscus or the trigeminothalamic tracts is a somatosensory tract containing second-order neuron fibers of the trigeminal system. It consists of the ventral and dorsal trigeminal tracts. Its second-order sensory axons convey ta ...
(in
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, mo ...
) → (ipsilateral)
ventral posteromedial nucleus
The ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) is a nucleus within the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus and serves an analogous somatosensory relay role for the ascending trigeminothalamic tracts as its lateral neighbour the ventral posterolat ...
of the
thalamus
The thalamus (: thalami; from Greek language, Greek Wikt:θάλαμος, θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter on the lateral wall of the third ventricle forming the wikt:dorsal, dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of ...
(synapse) → third-order neurons →
sensory cortex
The sensory cortex can refer sometimes to the primary somatosensory cortex, or it can be used as a term for the primary and secondary cortices of the different senses (two cortices each, on left and right hemisphere): the visual cortex on the occ ...
of
postcentral gyrus
In neuroanatomy, the postcentral gyrus is a prominent gyrus in the lateral parietal lobe of the human brain. It is the location of the primary somatosensory cortex, the main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch. Like other sensory area ...
(synapse)
References
External links
Trigeminothalamic tracts (Netter image)* http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=48738
Trigeminal nerve
Thalamic connections
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