MeSH A08.186.211.132.931 Dorlands
/Elsevier n_11/12581865 | NeuroNames hier-550 TA A14.1.05.409 | |
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Latin nucleus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini NeuroLex ID Mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve |
The mesencephalic nucleus is involved with proprioception of the face, that is, the feeling of position of the muscles. Unlike many nuclei within the central nervous system (CNS), the mesencephalic nucleus contains no chemical synapses but are electrically coupled. Neurons of this nucleus are unipolar cells that receive proprioceptive information from the mandible and send projections to the trigeminal motor nucleus to mediate monosynaptic jaw jerk reflexes. It is also the only structure in the CNS to contain the cell bodies of a primary afferent, which are usually contained within ganglia (like the trigeminal ganglion).
Clinical significance
A lesion involving the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus would cause ipsilateral sensory and motor deficits.
References
Mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA