| nucleus tractus solitarii | A slender cell column extending sagittally through the dorsal part of the medulla oblongata, beneath the floor of the rhomboid fossa, immediately lateral to the limiting sulcus. It is the visceral sensory (visceral afferent) nucleus of the brainstem, receiving the afferent fibres of the vagus, glossopharyngeal, and facial nerves by way of the solitary tract. The caudal two-thirds of the nucleus processes impulses originating in the pharynx, larynx, intestinal and respiratory tracts, and heart and large blood vessels; its rostral one-third receives impulses from the taste buds and is known as the rhombencephalic gustatory nucleus. Synonym: nucleus tractus solitarii. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| nucleus tractus spinalis nervi trigemini | The long sensory nucleus extending from the caudal border of the pontine sensory nucleus of the trigeminus down through the lateral region of the rhombencephalon into the upper three segments of the spinal cord's dorsal horn; it receives the fibres of the sensory root of the trigeminal nerve which descend along its lateral border as the spinal tract of trigeminal nerve. Synonym: nucleus tractus spinalis nervi trigemini, descending nucleus of the trigeminus, spinal nucleus of the trigeminus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami | <anatomy> A circumscript ovoid group of small neurons in the medial zone of the tuberal region of the hypothalamus. Bilateral destruction of this nucleus in the rat leads to severe obesity. It receives numerous fibres from the amygdala via the terminal stria; its efferent connections are obscure. Synonym: nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus vestibularis | One of a group of four main nuclei that includes: the lateral vestibular nucleus (Deiters' nucleus), medial vestibular nucleus (Schwalbe's nucleus), superior vestibular nucleus (Bechterew's nucleus), and inferior vestibular nucleus, located in the lateral region of the hindbrain beneath the floor of the rhomboid fossa. They receive primary fibres of the vestibular nerve, are reciprocally connected with the flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum, and project by way of the medial longitudinal fasciculus to the abducens, trochlear, and oculomotor nuclei and to the ventral horn of the spinal cord. The lateral vestibular nucleus projects to the ipsilateral ventral horn of the spinal cord by the vestibulospinal tract. Synonym: nucleus vestibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superior central tegmental nucleus | Collections of small neurons centrally scattered among many fibres from the level of the trochlear nucleus in the midbrain to the hypoglossal area in the medulla oblongata. (12 Dec 1998) |
| superior olivary nucleus | 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) |
| superior salivary nucleus | A group of preganglionic parasympathetic motor neurons situated rostral and lateral to the inferior salivatory nucleus; it governs secretion of the lacrimal, sublingual, and submaxillary glands by way of the facial nerve and the sphenopalatine and submandibular ganglia. Synonym: nucleus salivatorius superior, superior salivary nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superior salivatory nucleus | A group of preganglionic parasympathetic motor neurons situated rostral and lateral to the inferior salivatory nucleus; it governs secretion of the lacrimal, sublingual, and submaxillary glands by way of the facial nerve and the sphenopalatine and submandibular ganglia. Synonym: nucleus salivatorius superior, superior salivary nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| superior vestibular nucleus | One of a group of four main nuclei that includes: the lateral vestibular nucleus (Deiters' nucleus), medial vestibular nucleus (Schwalbe's nucleus), superior vestibular nucleus (Bechterew's nucleus), and inferior vestibular nucleus, located in the lateral region of the hindbrain beneath the floor of the rhomboid fossa. They receive primary fibres of the vestibular nerve, are reciprocally connected with the flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum, and project by way of the medial longitudinal fasciculus to the abducens, trochlear, and oculomotor nuclei and to the ventral horn of the spinal cord. The lateral vestibular nucleus projects to the ipsilateral ventral horn of the spinal cord by the vestibulospinal tract. Synonym: nucleus vestibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| suprachiasmatic nucleus | An ovoid densely packed collection of small cells of the anterior hypothalamus lying close to the midline in a shallow impression of the optic chiasm. (12 Dec 1998) |
| supraoptic nucleus | Hypothalamic nucleus overlying the beginning of the optic tract. (12 Dec 1998) |
| supraoptic nucleus of hypothalamus | A large-celled neurosecretory nucleus in the hypothalamus, located over the lateral border of the optic tract, from which the supraopticohypophysial tract arises; its neurons produce and transport vasopressin released into the general circulation from the axon terminals in the supraopticohypophysial tract. Synonym: nucleus supraopticus hypothalami, supraoptic nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| deiters nucleus | Lateral vestibular nucleus lying immediately cranial to the caudal vestibular nucleus and composed of large multipolar nerve cells. Its upper end becomes continuous with the cranial vestibular nucleus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Deiters' nucleus | One of a group of four main nuclei that includes: the lateral vestibular nucleus (Deiters' nucleus), medial vestibular nucleus (Schwalbe's nucleus), superior vestibular nucleus (Bechterew's nucleus), and inferior vestibular nucleus, located in the lateral region of the hindbrain beneath the floor of the rhomboid fossa. They receive primary fibres of the vestibular nerve, are reciprocally connected with the flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum, and project by way of the medial longitudinal fasciculus to the abducens, trochlear, and oculomotor nuclei and to the ventral horn of the spinal cord. The lateral vestibular nucleus projects to the ipsilateral ventral horn of the spinal cord by the vestibulospinal tract. Synonym: nucleus vestibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dentate nucleus of cerebellum | 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) |