Pontine nuclei
| 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 | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nuclei pontis |
| NeuroNames | 617 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1516 |
| TA98 | A14.1.05.202 |
| TA2 | 5926 |
| FMA | 72512 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
The pontine nuclei (or griseum pontis) are all the neurons of the ventral pons. Corticopontine fibres project from the primary motor cortex to the ipsilateral pontine nucleus; pontocerebellar fibers then relay the information to the contralateral cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle.
They are involved in motor function: the pontine nuclei are involved in adjusting movements according to their outcome (movement error correction), and are therefore important in learning motor skills.