Pontine nuclei

Brain: Pontine nuclei
Cross section through the lower pons showing the pontine nuclei (#22) and the pontocerebellar fibers emerging from them to become the middle cerebellar peduncle
Latin nuclei pontis
Gray's subject #187 786
NeuroNames hier-613

The pontine nuclei (or griseum pontis) are a part of the pons involved in motor activity. Corticopontine fibres carry information from the primary motor cortex to the ipsilateral pontine nucleus in the ventral pons, and the pontocerebellar projection then carries that information to the contralateral cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle.

They therefore allow modification of actions in the light of their outcome, or error correction, and are hence important in learning motor skills.

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