Edinger-Westphal nucleus
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The Edinger-Westphal nucleus is a small parasympathetic motor nucleus in the midbrain for and one of the two nuclei for the oculomotor nerve.
Gross Anatomy
The nucleus is located in the central midbrain at the level of the superior colliculus ventral and medial periaqueductal grey matter. It lies immediately dorsal to the larger oculomotor nucleus and just cranial to the trochlear nucleus.
Efferent fibres leave the nucleus ventrally passingjoining fibres from the oculomotor nucleus and pass medially to or through the red nucleus and emerge from the medial aspect of the cerebral peduncles.
Innervation
The parasympathetic fibres synapse in the ciliary ganglion and postganglionic fibres continue to the globe via the short ciliary nerves to innervate the constrictor pupillae muscle and ciliary body. It is therefore important in the functioning of the pupillary light and accommodation reflexes.
-<p>The <strong>Edinger-Westphal</strong> <strong>nucleus</strong> is a small parasympathetic motor nucleus in the <a href="/articles/midbrain">midbrain</a> for the <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nerve">oculomotor nerve</a>.</p><h4>Gross Anatomy</h4><p>The nucleus is located in the midbrain at the level of the <a href="/articles/corpora-quadrigemina">superior colliculus</a> ventral and medial periaqueductal grey matter. It lies immediately dorsal to the larger <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nucleus">oculomotor nucleus</a> and just cranial to the <a href="/articles/trochlear-nucleus">trochlear nucleus</a>.</p><p>Efferent fibres leave the nucleus ventrally passing medially to or through the <a href="/articles/red-nucleus">red nucleus</a> and emerge from the medial aspect of the <a href="/articles/cerebral-peduncles">cerebral peduncles</a>.</p><h4>Innervation</h4><p>The parasympathetic fibres synapse in the <a href="/articles/ciliary-ganglion">ciliary ganglion</a> and postganglionic fibres continue to the globe via the <a href="/articles/short-ciliary-nerves">short ciliary nerves</a> to innervate the constrictor pupillae muscle and ciliary body. It is therefore important in the functioning of the pupillary light and accommodation reflexes.</p>- +<p>The <strong>Edinger-Westphal</strong> <strong>nucleus</strong> is a small parasympathetic motor nucleus in the <a href="/articles/midbrain">midbrain</a> and one of the two nuclei for the <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nerve">oculomotor nerve</a>.</p><h4>Gross Anatomy</h4><p>The nucleus is located in the central midbrain at the level of the <a href="/articles/corpora-quadrigemina">superior colliculus</a> ventral and medial periaqueductal grey matter. It lies immediately dorsal to the larger <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nucleus">oculomotor nucleus</a> and just cranial to the <a href="/articles/trochlear-nucleus">trochlear nucleus</a>.</p><p>Efferent fibres leave the nucleus ventrally joining fibres from the oculomotor nucleus and pass medially to or through the <a href="/articles/red-nucleus">red nucleus</a> and emerge from the medial aspect of the <a href="/articles/cerebral-peduncles">cerebral peduncles</a>.</p><h4>Innervation</h4><p>The parasympathetic fibres synapse in the <a href="/articles/ciliary-ganglion">ciliary ganglion</a> and postganglionic fibres continue to the globe via the <a href="/articles/short-ciliary-nerves">short ciliary nerves</a> to innervate the constrictor pupillae muscle and ciliary body. It is therefore important in the functioning of the pupillary light and accommodation reflexes.</p>
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