One of the dorsal column nuclei, the cuneate nucleus is a wedge-shaped nucleus in the closed part of the medulla oblongata. It contains cells that give rise to the cuneate tubercle, visible on the posterior aspect of the medulla. It lies laterally to the gracile nucleus and medial to the spinal trigeminal nucleus in the medulla.
Function[]
The cuneate nucleus is part of dorsal column-medial lemniscus system, carrying fine touch and proprioceptive information to the thalamus and cerebellum.
Pathology[]
It may be affected by vitamin E deficiency exhibiting neuroaxonal swelling.
See also[]
Additional images[]
Dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view.
Deep dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view.
Superior terminations of the posterior fasciculi of the medulla spinalis.
Diagram showing the course of the arcuate fibers.
The formatio reticularis of the medulla oblongata, shown by a transverse section passing through the middle of the olive.
Scheme showing the course of the fibers of the lemniscus; medial lemniscus in blue, lateral in red.
Transverse section passing through the sensory decussation.
Deep dissection of cortex and brain-stem.
External links[]
Brain: rhombencephalon (hindbrain)
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Metencephalon/ pons
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surface: Locus ceruleus
Trigeminal lemniscus (Dorsal trigeminal tract, Ventral trigeminal tract)
cranial nuclei: GSA: Principal V/Spinal V - VIII-c (Dorsal, Anterior)/VIII-v (Lateral, Superior, Medial, Inferior) - SVE: Motor V - VII - GSE: VI - GVE: VII: Superior salivary nucleus
MLF, III, IV and VI (vestibulo-oculomotor fibers, medial vestibulospinal tract)
sensory/ascending: Trapezoid body/VIII - Superior olivary nucleus
Inferior cerebellar peduncle (Vestibulocerebellar tract)
motor/descending: Apneustic center • Pneumotaxic center (Medial parabrachial nucleus) - Lateral parabrachial nucleus
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Middle cerebellar peduncles (Pontocerebellar fibers) - Pontine nuclei motor/descending: Corticospinal tract - Corticobulbar tract - Corticopontine fibers
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Raphe/reticular
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Reticular formation (Caudal, Oral, Tegmental, Paramedian) • Raphe nuclei (Median)
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Myelencephalon/ medulla
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Dorsal
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surface: Posterior median sulcus - Postero-lateral sulcus - Area postrema
cranial nuclei: GVA: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • SVA: Gustatory nucleus • GSE: XII • GVE: IX,X,XI: Ambiguus • SVE: X: Dorsal • IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus - MLF, III, IV and VI
sensory/ascending: Gracile nucleus • Cuneate nucleus (Accessory cuneate nucleus) • Sensory decussation • Medial lemniscus
motor/descending: Dorsal respiratory group
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Ventral
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motor/descending: Ventral respiratory group - Pyramid (Motor decussation) - Inferior olivary nucleus (Olivocerebellar tract, Rubro-olivary tract) surface: Anterior median fissure - Antero-lateral sulcus - Arcuate nucleus of medulla - Olivary body
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Raphe/reticular
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Reticular formation (Gigantocellular, Parvocellular, Ventral, Lateral, Paramedian) • Raphe nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus)
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