Trochlear nucleus
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Hacking C, Sharma R, Gaillard F, Trochlear nucleus. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 17 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-80958
rID:
80958
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures
Revisions:
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3 contributors -
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The trochlear nucleus is a small motor nucleus in the midbrain for the trochlear nerve.
Gross anatomy
The nucleus is located in the midbrain at the level of the inferior colliculus ventral and medial periaqueductal grey and dorsal to the medial longitudinal fasciculus. It lies just caudal to the oculomotor nucleus and Edinger-Westphal nucleus. The nucleus forms a longitudinal paramedian column of somatic motor nuclei along with the abducens, oculomotor and hypoglossal nuclei.
Trochlear efferent fibres leave the nucleus dorsally and laterally passing around the periaqueductal grey matter and descend medial to the mesencephalic nucleus where they decussate at the level of the superior medullary velum. The fibres emerge just caudal and lateral to the inferior colliculus.
Innervation
The nucleus houses the motor cell bodies that innervate the superior oblique muscle in the orbit.
References
- 1. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780702052309
- 4. Robert H. Whitaker, Neil R. Borley. Instant Anatomy. ISBN: 9780632054039
- 5. A. R. Crossman, David Neary (MD.). Neuroanatomy. (1995)
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