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MODULE 12 - SECTION 3 - THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM

The

 

 

VESTIBULAR PATHWAY on SLIDE 10

Vestibular fibers of the vestibulocochlear nerve enter at the level of slide 10 and pass dorsomedially through the small gap between the inferior cerebellar peduncle and the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve

 
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THE VESTIBULAR NUCLEI
on a
DORSAL VIEW of the BRAINSTEM

Most of the fibers will terminate within the vestibular nuclei, but a few will pass directly through the juxtarestiform body to the posterior vermis and flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum. At the level of slide 10 two vestibular nuclei, the lateral and superior nuclei, are present (Figure 12-5) and vestibular fibers may terminate in either of them. Almost all vestibular fibers bifurcate in this region and give off a descending branch which passes caudally through the inferior vestibular nucleus (giving it a "speckled" appearance on the slides) before ending in the inferior and medial vestibular nuclei at more caudal levels.
   The lateral and superior vestibular nuclei, like the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the nucleus ambiguus, cannot be seen clearly on our slides. They have, however, been shown with reasonable accuracy in this viewand the ones that follow. The superior nucleus is the only one to extend rostral to slide 10 - perhaps to slide 11. The lateral nucleus is also limited in extent, but is present in slides 9 and 8. The inferior and medial nuclei appear slightly caudal to the point of entrance of the vestibular nerve and are present as far caudally as slide 6.
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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 6

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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 7

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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 8

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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 9

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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 10

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VESTIBULAR NUCLEI on SLIDE 11

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THE LATERAL and MEDIAL
VESTIBULO-SPINAL TRACTS
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