Facial nucleus

Last revised by Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈ on 24 Mar 2022

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Hacking C, Gaillard F, Facial nucleus. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 25 Sep 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-80971

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-80971

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/80971

rID:

80971

Article created:

11 Aug 2020, Craig Hacking ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Last revised:

24 Mar 2022, Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.

View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures

Revisions:

2 times, by 1 contributor - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Central Nervous System

Sections:

Anatomy

Synonyms:

facial motor nucleus

The facial nucleus or facial motor nucleus is the efferent nucleus of the facial nerve.

Gross Anatomy

The nucleus is located in the caudal lower aspect of the pontine tegmentum at the level of the middle cerebellar peduncles. It lies dorsal to the medial lemniscus and ventral and medial to the spinal tract and spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve.

Facial efferent fibers leave the nucleus dorsally and swing around the abducens nucleus close to the floor of the fourth ventricle before passing laterally back between their the trigeminal spinal nucleus laterally and its own facial nucleus medially.

The fibers emerge as the motor root of the facial nerve at the pontomedullary junction next to the olive.