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Oral pontine reticular nucleus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oral pontine reticular nucleus
Details
Identifiers
Latinnucleus reticularis pontis oralis
NeuroNames565
NeuroLex IDbirnlex_875
TA98A14.1.05.503
TA25950
FMA72468
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

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]

Anatomy

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This nucleus tapers rostrally to transition into the caudal mesencephalic reticular formation. It contains sporadic giant neurons.[citation needed]

Afferents

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It receives sensory and motor cortical afferents via corticoreticular fibers.[1]

Research

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Different 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

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.