Paraabducens nucleus

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Brain: Paraabducens nucleus
The cranial nerve nuclei schematically represented; dorsal view. Motor nuclei in red; sensory in blue. The olfactory and optic centers are not represented. (Paraabducens nucleus is not labeled, but is visible near the abducens nucleus, which is VI)
NeuroNames	ancil-1259630124

The paraabducens nucleus is a nucleus which controls lateral gaze.

It is also known as the "paramedian pontine reticular formation", or "PPRF".

As its name would indicate, it is located near the Abducens nucleus, and it sends signals to it, which in turn affects the lateral rectus and medial rectus muscles, and the medial longitudinal fasciculus.

[edit] External links

• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rswenson/NeuroSci/chapter_1.html
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rswenson/NeuroSci/figures/Figure_19.htm
• http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/virtualbrain/BrainStem/13VNAN.html

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Brain: rhombencephalon (hindbrain) Metencephalon/ pons Dorsal/ (tegmentum) surface: Locus ceruleus Trigeminal lemniscus (Dorsal trigeminal tract, Ventral trigeminal tract) cranial nuclei: GSA: Principal V/Spinal V - VIII-c (Dorsal, Anterior)/VIII-v (Lateral, Superior, Medial, Inferior) - SVE: Motor V - VII - GSE: VI - GVE: VII: Superior salivary nucleus MLF, III, IV and VI (vestibulo-oculomotor fibers, medial vestibulospinal tract) sensory/ascending: Trapezoid body/VIII - Superior olivary nucleus Inferior cerebellar peduncle (Vestibulocerebellar tract) motor/descending: Apneustic center • Pneumotaxic center (Medial parabrachial nucleus) - Lateral parabrachial nucleus Ventral/ (base) Middle cerebellar peduncles (Pontocerebellar fibers) - Pontine nuclei motor/descending: Corticospinal tract - Corticobulbar tract - Corticopontine fibers Raphe/reticular Reticular formation (Caudal, Oral, Tegmental, Paramedian) • Raphe nuclei (Median) Myelencephalon/ medulla Dorsal surface: Posterior median sulcus - Postero-lateral sulcus - Area postrema cranial nuclei: GVA: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • SVA: Gustatory nucleus • GSE: XII  • GVE: IX,X,XI: Ambiguus • SVE: X: Dorsal • IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus - MLF, III, IV and VI sensory/ascending: Gracile nucleus • Cuneate nucleus (Accessory cuneate nucleus) • Sensory decussation  • Medial lemniscus motor/descending: Dorsal respiratory group Ventral motor/descending: Ventral respiratory group - Pyramid (Motor decussation) - Inferior olivary nucleus (Olivocerebellar tract, Rubro-olivary tract) surface: Anterior median fissure - Antero-lateral sulcus - Arcuate nucleus of medulla - Olivary body Raphe/reticular Reticular formation (Gigantocellular, Parvocellular, Ventral, Lateral, Paramedian) • Raphe nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus)