Nuclei of cranial nerves
Nuclei nervorum craniales
Definition
The nuclei of cranial nerve are interrupted columns of gray matter in the brainstem (in brainstem sections, the profiles of theses columns are designated nuclei).
The efferent nuclei of cranial nerve contain the cell bodies of neurons that send axons into cranial nerves (efferent nuclei also contain interneurons).
The efferent nuclei of cranial nerve are composed of interneurons and projection neurons that receive synaptic input from afferent axons of cranial nerves.
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