Main sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve
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At the time the article was created Chris Rothe had no recorded disclosures.
View Chris Rothe's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures- main sensory nucleus
- chief sensory nucleus
- chief sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve
- main trigeminal sensory nucleus
- chief trigeminal sensory nucleus
- pontine trigeminal nucleus
The main or chief sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve is one of three major nuclei that make up the trigeminal sensory nerve nuclear complex along with the mesencephalic nucleus and the spinal nucleus 1,2. It also receives fibers from the glossopharyngeal nerve.
Some older texts refer to it as the pontine trigeminal nucleus due to its location.
Gross anatomy
The main sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve is located within the caudal aspect of the pons. It lies inferior to the mesencephalic nucleus and superior to the spinal nucleus and is continuous with both. It lies dorsomedial to the entering trigeminal root and also posterolateral to the motor trigeminal nucleus.
Innervation
The main sensory nucleus receives facial tactile sensation in addition to receiving proprioceptive input from the temporomandibular joint.
The nucleus of the trigeminal nerve is conventionally divided into dorsomedial and ventrolateral divisions 2. The dorsomedial division receives afferent input from the oral cavity. The ventrolateral division receives input from all three divisions (V1-V3) of the trigeminal nerve.
References
- 1. Lynley Bradnam, Christine Barry. The Role of the Trigeminal Sensory Nuclear Complex in the Pathophysiology of Craniocervical Dystonia. (2013) Journal of Neuroscience. 33 (47): 18358. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3544-13.2013 - Pubmed
- 2. Shmuel Price, Daniel T. Daly. Neuroanatomy, Nucleus Trigeminal. (2019) Pubmed
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