Solitary tract
Tractus solitarius
Definition
The solitary tract is a white matter bundle in the brainstem, specifically in the medulla oblongata, that is closely associated with the solitary nucleus. It consists of sensory fibers, that primarily carry visceral and taste information. These include:
Visceral sensory fibers from cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal) and X (vagus), transmitting signals from baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, and visceral organs.
Taste fibers from cranial nerves VII (facial), IX, and X, which convey taste sensations from the tongue, pharynx, and epiglottis.
References
Koutcherov, Y., Huang, X.-F., Halliday, G. and Paxinos, G. (2004) ‘Chapter 10 - Organization of Human Brain Stem Nuclei’, in Paxinos, G. and Mai, J.K. (eds) The Human Nervous System (Second Edition). Academic Press, pp. 267–320. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012547626-3/50011-9.
