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تسجيل

Central Vestibular Pathway

المؤلف:  Kim E. Barrett, Susan M. Barman, Heddwen L. Brooks, Jason X.-J. Yuan

المصدر:  Ganongs Review of Medical Physiology

الجزء والصفحة:  25th E, P209-210

2026-10-31

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The cell bodies of the 19,000 neurons supplying the cristae and maculae on each side are located in the vestibular ganglion. Each vestibular nerve terminates in the ipsilateral four-part vestibular nucleus (Figure 1) and in the floc culonodular lobe of the cerebellum (not shown in the figure). Fibers from the semicircular canals terminate primarily in the superior and medial divisions of the vestibular nucleus; neurons in this region project mainly to nuclei controlling eye movement. Fibers from the utricle and saccule project predominantly to the lateral division (Deiters nucleus) of the vestibular nucleus which then projects to the spinal cord (lateral vestibulospinal tract). Fibers from the utricle and saccule also terminate on neurons that project to the cerebellum and the reticular formation. The vestibular nuclei also project to the thalamus and from there to two parts of the primary somatosensory cortex. The ascending connections to cranial nerve nuclei are largely concerned with eye movements.

Fig1. Simplified diagram of main auditory (left) and vestibular (right) pathways superimposed on a dorsal view of the brainstem. Cerebellum and cerebral cortex have been removed. For the auditory pathway, eighth cranial nerve afferent fibers form the cochlea end in dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei. From there, most fibers cross the midline and terminate in the contralateral inferior colliculus. From there, fibers project to the medial geniculate body in the thalamus and then to the auditory cortex located on the superior temporal gyrus of the temporal lobe. For the vestibular pathway, the vestibular nerve terminates in the ipsilateral vestibular nucleus. Most fibers from the semicircular canals terminate in the superior and medial divisions of the vestibular nucleus and project to nuclei controlling eye movement. Most fibers from the utricle and saccule terminate in the lateral division, which then projects to the spinal cord. They also terminate on neurons that project to the cerebellum and the reticular formation. The vestibular nuclei also project to the thalamus and from there to the primary somatosensory cortex. The ascending connections to cranial nerve nuclei are concerned with eye movements.