Cuneate tubercle

Cuneate tubercle appears as an elevation or a bump on the dorsal surface of the medulla oblongata, in the floor of the fourth ventricle. This prominence is formed by the underlying cuneate nucleus, which is a key component of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal sensory pathway.

The cuneate tubercle lies lateral to the gracile tubercle, a similar elevation also located in the floor of the fourth ventricle. This prominence is formed by the underlying gracile nucleus, which, like the cuneate nucleus, participates in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway.

Both the gracile and cuneate nuclei relay sensory information such as vibration, conscious proprioception, and two-point discrimination. While these nuclei share functional roles within this pathway, they differ in their input sources: the gracile nucleus receives sensory input from the lower extremities, whereas the cuneate nucleus processes input from the upper extremities, excluding the head.