Gracile nucleus
Nucleus gracilis
- Eponym: Nucleus of Goll
- Related terms: Gracile nucleus (of Goll)
Definition
The gracile nucleus, located in the medulla oblongata, is one of the dorsal column nuclei that participate in the sensation of fine touch and proprioception of the lower body. It contains second-order neurons of the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway, which receive inputs from sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia and send axons that synapse in the thalamus.
The neurons contained within the nucleus form a visible bump called the gracile tubercle on the posterior side of the closed medulla at the floor of the fourth ventricle.
The gracile nucleus and fasciculus carry epicritic, kinesthetic, and conscious proprioceptive information from the lower part of the body. The counterpart to the gracile nucleus and fasciculus is the cuneate nucleus and fasciculus, which carries the same type of information, but from the upper body.
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