The oral pontine reticular nucleus, or rostral pontine reticular nucleus is one of the two components of the medial (efferent/motor) zone of the pontine reticular formation - the other being the caudal pontine reticular nucleus. The efferents of these two structures together give rise to the medial (pontine) reticulospinal tract (which modulates the muscle tone of the trunk and limb musculature). A population of their neurons together also form the paramedian pontine reticular formation which is involved in the coordination of horizontal conjugate eye movements in response to head movements.[1]
| Oral pontine reticular nucleus | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nucleus reticularis pontis oralis |
| NeuroNames | 565 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_875 |
| TA98 | A14.1.05.503 |
| TA2 | 5950 |
| FMA | 72468 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Anatomy
editThis nucleus tapers rostrally to transition into the caudal mesencephalic reticular formation. It contains sporadic giant neurons.[citation needed]
Afferents
editIt receives sensory and motor cortical afferents via corticoreticular fibers.[1]
Research
editDifferent populations of the pontis oralis have displayed discharge patterns which coordinate with phasic movements to and from paradoxical sleep. It is thus apparently involved in the mediation of changing to and from REM sleep.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Patestas, Maria A.; Gartner, Leslie P. (2016). A Textbook of Neuroanatomy (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 307–308, 310. ISBN 978-1-118-67746-9.
- ^ Dergacheva OIu et al. Impulse activity of neurons in the nucleus pontis oralis in cats during sleep--wakefulness cycle. Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 2002 Dec;88(12):1530-7.
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