corticobulbar tract

Introduction

Nerve fibers originating from pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex terminating on cell bodies in the brainstem, including those of cranial nerve origin. It passes in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. Brain stem termini include:

• motor cranial nerve nuclei
• reticular formation
• sensory relay nuclei
  • cuneate nucleus
  • gracile nucleus
  • spinal trigeminal nucleus

More general terms

• CNS white matter tract
• brainstem structure

Additional terms

• pyramidal tract

Component of

• medulla
• pons
• mesencephalon (midbrain)
• internal capsule