Dorsal nucleus of Clarke

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Brain: Dorsal nucleus of Clarke
Latin	nucleus thoracicus posterior
NeuroNames	ancil-948
Dorlands/Elsevier	n_11/12583750

Clarke's nucleus is a small section of grey matter located in lamina VII of the intermediate zone spinal cord which is found ventral to the gracile column and cuneate column and is involved in unconscious proprioception. It is found at the level of T1-L2 (lumbar vertebrae) on the spinal cord.

Clarke's nucleus is the origin of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract. Axons from cell bodies in the dorsal nucleus of Clarke travel through the ipsilateral lateral funiculus via the restiform body on their way to the cerebellum.

[edit] Path

It acts as a way in which stretch receptors and other mechanoreceptive information from the leg reaches the ipsilateral cerebellar vermis and intermediate zone via the dorsal spinocerebellar tract. Primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia synapse on secondary sensory neurons in the nucleus of Clarke, after which the fibers ascend ipsilaterally to the cerebellum via the inferior cerebellar peduncles.

[edit] Eponym

Clarke's nucleus was named after British neurologist Jacob Augustus Lockhart Clarke (1817-1880).

[edit] See also

• Column of Clarke

v • d • e Brain and spinal cord: neural tracts and fasciculi Sensory/ascending: PCML Pacinian corpuscle/Meissner's corpuscle → PCML → arcuate fibers (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers) - Medial lemniscus → Thalamus → Postcentral gyrus Sensory/ascending: anterolateral system Free nerve ending → Spinothalamic tract (Lateral, Anterior) → Spinal lemniscus → Postcentral gyrus Spinoreticular tract → Reticular formation Spinotectal tract → Midbrain tectum Motor/descending: pyramidal and extrapyramidal flexion: Primary motor cortex → Posterior limb of internal capsule → Decussation of the pyramids → Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) → Neuromuscular junction flexion: Red nucleus → Rubrospinal tract extension: Vestibulocerebellum → Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulospinal tract extension: Vestibulocerebellum → Reticular formation → Reticulospinal tract Midbrain tectum → Tectospinal tract → muscles of neck Bidirectional: Spinocerebellar Unconscious proprioception: Golgi tendon organ → Spinocerebellar (Dorsal/Dorsal nucleus of Clarke/Column of Clarke, Cuneocerebellar) → Cerebellum Reflex arc: Ventral - Rostral Brain only Medial longitudinal fasciculus Vestibular nucleus → Vestibulocerebellar tract → Cerebellum Pontine nuclei → Pontocerebellar fibers → Deep cerebellar nuclei Inferior olivary nucleus → Olivocerebellar tract → Cerebellar hemisphere Primary motor cortex → Genu of internal capsule → Corticobulbar tract → brainstem see also white matter fibers