The spinal accessory nucleus lies within the cervical

spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the spin ...

(C1-C5) in the posterolateral aspect of the anterior horn. The nucleus ambiguus is classically said to provide the "cranial component" of the accessory nerve. However, the very existence of this cranial component has been recently questioned and seen as contributing exclusively to the vagus nerve. The terminology continues to be used in describing both human anatomy, and that of other animals.

Additional images

File:Gray697.png, Nuclei of origin of cranial motor nerves schematically represented; lateral view. File:Gray698.png, Primary terminal nuclei of the afferent (sensory) cranial nerves schematically represented; lateral view.

References

External links

Sylvius

University of New Mexico

{{Spinal cord Accessory nerve Cranial nerve nuclei Medulla oblongata