Hind brain and its nuclei

Terminology from embryology

• Initially there are three primary vesicles
– Prosencephalon- fore brain
• Forms telencephalon
• Diencephalon
– Mesencephalon-midbrain
– Rhombencephalon- hind brain
• Metencephalon- pons and cerebellum
• Myelencephalon- medulla oblongata
 Hind brain nuclei
– These are located through out the different parts
of the hind brain
– They have different connections and perform
different functions
 Pons

Level of facial colliculus Level of trigeminal nuclei

• Facial nucleus • Main sensory and motor
nuclei of trigeminal
• Abducent nucleus
• Pontine nucleun
• Medial vestibular • Trapezoid nucleus
nucleus
• Spinal nucleus of
trigeminal
• Pontine nucleus
• Trapezoid nucleus
 Medulla oblongata
Level of decussation of pyramids
• Nucleus gracilis
• Nucleus cuneatus
• Spinal nucleus of trigeminal
• Accessory nucleus
Level of decussation of medial
lemniscus
• Nucleus gracilis
• Nucleus cuneatus
• Spinal nucleus of trigeminal
• Accessory nucleus
• Hypoglossal nucleus
 Level of olives, inferior cerecebellar
peduncle
• Inferior olivary nucleus
• Vestibular nucleus
• Glossopharyngeal nucleus
• Vagal nucleus
• Hypoglossal nucleus
• Nucleus ambiguus
• Tractus soliotarius
• Spinal nucleus of trigeminal
 Cerebellum

• Intracerebelar nuclei; arranged from lateral to

medial
– Dentate
– Emboliform
– Globose
– Fastigial
• They outflow in the superior and inferior
cerebellar peduncles