Rostral Pons Flashcards
Lateral lemniscus
Ascending auditory fibers from the cochlear and superior olivary nuclei, representing both ears.
Superior cerebellar peduncle
The principal output pathway from the cerebellum.
Locus ceruleus
Widely projecting noradrenergic neurons that collectively blanket the CNS.
Periventricular gray
Continuous with the periaqueductal gray, the site of origin of the descending pain control pathway that relays in raphe nuclei of the rostral medulla and caudal pons (among other connections).
Fourth ventricle
Rostral end, near the aqueduct.
Anterolateral pathway
Mostly crossed fibers of second-order spinal neurons conveying pain and temperature information to the thalamus (spinothalamic tract), reticular formation, and midbrain. At this level, it also includes a contribution from the spinal trigeminal nucleus.
Medial lemniscus
The principal ascending pathway for tactile and proprioceptive information. Originates in the contralateral posterior column nuclei and terminates in the thalamus (VPL). At this level, it also includes a contribution from the trigeminal main sensory nucleus on its way to VPM.
Reticular formation
No description.
Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
At this level, fibers from vestibular nuclei and abducens interneurons, active in coordinating eye movements.
Raphe nuclei
Widely projecting serotonergic neurons that collectively blanket the CNS. Those in rostral brainstem levels like this project mainly to the cerebrum and cerebellum.
Corticopontine fibers
From the ipsilateral cerebral cortex.
Pontine nuclei and pontocerebellar fibers
Efferents from the cerebral cortex descend through the cerebral peduncle to reach ipsilateral pontine nuclei, whose axons cross in the basal pons and form the contralateral middle cerebellar peduncle. (Mossy fibers)
Corticospinal and corticobulbar fibers
From the ipsilateral precentral gyrus and adjacent cortical areas.
