Cranial nerve nuclei - posterior view (afferent) (English)

The nuclei associated with the general somatic afferent cranial nerves include the mesencephalic, principal, and spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. These nuclei can also be appreciated from a sagittal perspective (see next image). All three nuclei are located within the pons, however, the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve extends caudally from the pons into the medulla oblongata, whereas the mesencephalic nucleus extends cranially to reach the midbrain. These nuclei function to mediate sensations of pain, proprioception, crude touch and temperature received from cranial nerves V, VII, IX and X.Nuclei within the special somatic afferent group are made up of the cochlear and vestibular nuclei. The dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei are located at the junction where the pons and medulla meet, the medullopontine sulcus. The medial, lateral, inferior and superior vestibular nuclei are located in the gray matter underlying the lateral part of the floor of the fourth ventricle. These nuclei receive afferent impulses from the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) associated with hearing and balance (see next image to identify these nuclei from a sagittal view).