Gudden's commissure

Last revised by Henry Knipe on 12 Jun 2019

Gudden’s commissure, also called the ventral supraoptic decussation, is one of three tracts that comprise the supraoptic commissure 1,2.  The remaining two tracts that comprise the supraoptic commissure are Meynert's commissure (dorsal supraoptic commissure) and the anterior hypothalamic commissure of Gasner 1.

Gross anatomy

The fibers that comprise Gudden’s commissure are located immediately posterior to the optic chiasm 1. There is some conjecture regarding the path of fibers within the commissure - Jinkins 1 and Gray et al 3 suggest that the fibers with Gudden’s commissure connect the medial geniculate bodies 1, whilst Clarke et al 2 propose it contains fibers arising from the reticular formation with the pons that then ascend with the medial longitudinal fasciculus 2.

History and etymology

Gudden’s commissure is named after Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden, a German neuroanatomist and psychiatrist 4. Gudden was credited with discovering the commissure in 1870 5.

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