Psychology Wiki
Brain: Medial longitudinal fasciculus
Gray711
Transverse section of mid-brain at level of inferior colliculi.
Gray710
Coronal section through mid-brain.
1. Corpora quadrigemina.
2. Cerebral aqueduct.
3. Central gray stratum.
4. Interpeduncular space.
5. Sulcus lateralis.
6. Substantia nigra.
7. Red nucleus of tegmentum.
8. Oculomotor nerve, with 8’, its nucleus of origin. a. Lemniscus (in blue) with a’ the medial lemniscus and a" the lateral lemniscus. b. Medial longitudinal fasciculus. c. Raphé. d. Temporopontine fibers. e. Portion of medial lemniscus, which runs to the lentiform nucleus and insula. f. Cerebrospinal fibers. g. Frontopontine fibers.
Latin '
Gray's subject #188 803
Part of
Components
Artery
Vein
BrainInfo/UW ancil-743
MeSH [1]

The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) is a pair of crossed fiber tracts (group of axons), one on each side of the brainstem, that carry information about the direction that the eyes should move.

It connects the cranial nerve nuclei III, IV and VI together, as well as the gaze centres and information about head movement (from cranial nerve VIII).

It also descends into the cervical spinal cord, and innervates some muscles of the neck.

The MLF arises from the Vestibular Nucleus (VN) and is thought to be involved in the maintenance of gaze. This is achieved by inputs to the VN from

  1. the Vestibulocochlear (8th cranial) nerve about head movements,
  2. gain adjustments from the flocculus of the cerebellum,
  3. head and neck propioceptors and foot and ankle muscle spindle, via the fastigial nucleus.

Lesions of the MLF produce internuclear ophthalmoplegia.


Mesencephalon (midbrain)

cerebral peduncle: midbrain tegmentum (periaqueductal gray, ventral tegmentum, nucleus raphe dorsalis), pretectum, substantia nigra, red nucleus, pedunculopontine nucleus, medial longitudinal fasciculus, medial lemniscus, rubrospinal tract, lateral lemniscus

tectum: corpora quadrigemina, inferior colliculi, superior colliculi

cerebral aqueduct: oculomotor nucleus, trochlear nucleus, Edinger-Westphal nucleus


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