trigeminal sensory nucleus

Introduction

Sructure:

• somatic sensory nucleus, very long, extending from the rostral pons into the medulla & becoming continuous with the posterior horn of the spinal cord.

Afferents

Three components are defined:

• spinal nucleus of CN 5
  • pain & temperature
  • spinal tract of CN 5 sends fibers caudal from the pons to the brainstem before relaying sensory information of pain & temperature
• main sensory nucleus of CN 5
  • located in pons & medulla
  • light touch
• mesencephalic nucleus of CN 5
  • located in midbrain
  • proprioception

Notes

• fibers sent to the thalamus via the trigeminal lemniscus
• primary sensory neurons of CN 5 have cell bodies in the trigeminal ganglion
• the sensory distribution of CN 5 is like that of a face mask
• the sensory nucleus of CN 5 actually obtains sensory input from CN 7, CN 9, & CN 10, but because of the dominant input from CN 5, retains it name

More general terms

• cranial nerve nucleus

More specific terms

• mesencephalic nucleus of cranial nerve 5 (trigeminal nerve)
• principal sensory trigeminal nucleus
• spinal (caudal) trigeminal nucleus

Additional terms

• trigeminal nerve (CN V)

Component of

• brainstem