| NPH | neutral protamine Hagedorn (insulin) [not used anymore]; normal pressure hydrocephalus; nucleus pulp... |
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| NPO | nothing by mouth [Lat. nulla per os]; nucleus preopticus |
| NPP | nitrophenylphosphate; normal pool plasma; nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus |
| NPV | negative predictive value; pressure value; negative pressure ventilation; net present value; nuclear... |
| NRA | nitrate reductase; nucleus retroambigualis |
| nucleus centralis tegmenti superior | One of the nuclei raphes. Synonym: Bechterew's nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| nucleus centromedianus | A large, lentil-shaped cell group, the largest and most caudal of the intralaminar nuclei, located within the lamina medullaris interna of the thalamus between the mediodorsal nucleus and ventrobasal nucleus; so called by Luys because of its prominent appearance on frontal sections midway between the anterior and posterior pole of the human thalamus. The nucleus receives numerous fibres from the internal segment of the globus pallidus by way of the thalamic fasciculus, ansa lenticularis, and lenticular fasciculus as well as projections from area 4 of the motor cortex; its major efferent connection is with the putamen although collaterals reach broad areas of the cerebral cortex. Synonym: nucleus centromedianus, centre median de Luys, centrum medianum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus colliculi inferioris | The nerve cell groups composing the colliculus inferior. Synonym: nucleus colliculi inferioris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus corporis geniculati medialis | The nerve cell groups composing the medial geniculate body (corpus geniculatum mediale). Synonym: nucleus corporis geniculati medialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus cuneatus | The larger Burdach's nucleus; one of the three nuclei of the posterior column of the spinal cord; located near the dorsal surface of the medulla oblongata at and below the level of the obex, the nucleus receives posterior root fibres corresponding to the sensory innervation of the arm and hand of the same side; together with its medial companion, the gracile nucleus, it is the major source of origin of the medial lemniscus. Synonym: nucleus cuneatus, Burdach's nucleus, nucleus funiculi cuneati, nucleus of cuneate fasciculus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus cuneatus accessorius | A cell group lateral to the cuneate nucleus which receives posterior-root fibres corresponding to the proprioceptive innervation of the arm and hand; it projects to the cerebellum by way of the cuneocerebellar tract, and can be considered the upper-extremity equivalent of the thoracic nucleus. Synonym: nucleus cuneatus accessorius, external cuneate nucleus, lateral cuneate nucleus, Monakow's nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus dentatus cerebelli | The most lateral and largest of the cerebellar nuclei; it receives the axons of the Purkinje cells of the neocerebellum (lateral areas of cerebellar cortex); together with the more medially located globosus and emboliform nuclei it is the major source of fibres composing the massive superior cerebellar peduncle or brachium conjunctivum. Synonym: nucleus dentatus cerebelli, corpus dentatum, dentatum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus dorsalis | A column of large neurons located in the base of the posterior gray column of the spinal cord, extending from the first thoracic through the second lumbar segment; it gives rise to the dorsal spinocerebellar tract of the same side. Synonym: nucleus thoracicus, Clarke's column, Clarke's nucleus, dorsal nucleus, nucleus dorsalis, Stilling's column, Stilling's nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus dorsalis corporis trapezoidei | A circumscript, bipartite cell group located ventrolaterally in the lower pontine tegmentum, immediately dorsal to the trapezoid body; the nucleus receives fibres from both the ipsilateral and contralateral cochlear nuclei, and contributes fibres to the lateral (auditory) lemniscus of both sides. It is believed to be prominently involved in the function of spatial localization of sound. Synonym: nucleus dorsalis corporis trapezoidei, oliva superior, superior olivary nucleus, superior olive. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus dorsalis nervi vagi | The visceral motor nucleus located in the vagal trigone (ala cinerea) of the floor of the fourth ventricle. It gives rise to the parasympathetic fibres of the vagus nerve innervating the heart muscle and the smooth musculature and glands of the respiratory and intestinal tracts. Synonym: nucleus dorsalis nervi vagi, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, dorsal nucleus of vagus, dorsal vagal nucleus, nucleus alae cinereae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami | An oval cluster of cells located dorsal to the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Synonym: nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus emboliformis | A small wedge-shaped nucleus in the central white substance of the cerebellum just internal to the hilus of the dentate nucleus; receives axons of Purkinje cells of the intermediate area of the cerebellar cortex; axons of these cells exit the cerebellum via the superior cerebellar peduncle. Synonym: nucleus emboliformis, embolus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus facialis | A group of motor neurons located in the ventrolateral region of the lower pontine tegmentum and innervating the facial muscles, the stapedius muscle in the middle ear, the posterior limb of the musculus digastricus, and the stylohyoid muscle. Synonym: nucleus nervi facialis, facial motor nucleus, motor nucleus of facial nerve, nucleus facialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus fasciculi gracilis | The medial one of the three nuclei of the dorsal column, the remaining two being the cuneate nucleus and the accessory cuneate nucleus, which corresponds to the clava; it receives dorsal-root fibres conveying sensory innervation of the leg, and lower trunk, and projects, by way of the medial lemniscus, to the ventral nucleus posterior nucleus of the thalamus. Synonym: nucleus gracilis, nucleus fasciculi gracilis, nucleus funiculi gracilis, nucleus of Goll. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus fastigii | The most medial of the cerebellar nuclei, lying medial to the interpositus nucleus, near the midline, in the white matter underneath the vermis of the cerebellar cortex. It receives the axons of Purkinje cells from all parts of the vermis. Its major projection is to the vestibular nuclei and medullary reticular formation. Synonym: nucleus fastigii, fastigatum, nucleus tecti, roof nucleus, tectal nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |