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Biological: Behavioural genetics · Evolutionary psychology · Neuroanatomy · Neurochemistry · Neuroendocrinology · Neuroscience · Psychoneuroimmunology · Physiological Psychology · Psychopharmacology (Index, Outline)
Decussation (or decussatio) is used in biological contexts to describe a crossing, as in the letter X,[1] particularly of nerve fibres, reflecting the contralateral organization of the body. Examples include:
- In the brain, where nerve fibers cross from one lateral part to the other, particularly in the midbrain
- Decussation of the pyramids or motor decussation
- Optic chiasm
- Sensory decussation
- Ventral supraoptic decussation
Here, a decussation refers to the crossing of millions of axons. To achieve this, there needs to be a tight control in order to have as few errors as possible. The advantage of having such a complicated system may be to compensate for the 180 degree inversion in visual perception through the eye.[2] In addition, it may provide a more robust structure.[3]