Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve

    A nucleus in the medulla oblongata near the first margin of the superior part of the fourth ventricle. It gives rise to the motor fibers of the trigeminal nerve, which innervates the muscles of mastication, tensor tympani, tensor palatini, and the anterior digastric muscle.  

  • Motor nucleus

    A nucleus giving rise to the motor fibers of a nerve.  

  • Mother nucleus

    A nucleus that divides into two or more parts to form daughter nuclei.  

  • Mesencephalic tract nucleus

    The only site of primary sensory neurons within the central nervous system; it carries proprioceptive impulses from the trigeminal nerve.  

  • Medial geniculate nucleus

    The auditory relay nucleus of the thalamus. It is on the back undersurface of the thalamus, above the cerebral peduncle. It receives auditory axons from the inferior colliculus, and it sends axons to the auditory cortex (superior temporal gyrus of Heschel [area 41]) in which the neurons are organized according to pitch.  

  • Nucleus lentis

    The core or inner dense section of the crystalline lens.  

  • Lenticular nucleus

    One of the nuclei forming part of the basal ganglia of the cerebrum, consisting of the globus pallidus and putamen. With the caudate nucleus, it forms the corpus striatum.  

  • Lateral geniculate nucleus

    The visual relay nucleus of the thalamus. It is actually a set of nuclei located on the bottom rear edges of the thalamus, lateral to the medial geniculate nucleus. Axons from the retinal ganglion cells of the retina reach the lateral geniculate via the optic nerve and optic tract and then synapse in topographic order.…

  • Interstitial nucleus of Cajal

    A nucleus in the superior portion of the midbrain. It receives fibers from the vestibular nuclei, basal ganglia, and occipital regions of the cerebral cortex. The efferent fibers pass to the ipsilateral and contralateral fasciculi and the interstitio-spinal tracts. It is involved in coordinate eye movements.  

  • Interpeduncular nucleus

    A nucleus of the midbrain near the superior border of the pons. It receives fibers of the habenulopeduncular tract.