Sensory decussation
Encyclopedia
The sensory decussation or decussation of the lemniscus is a decussation
or cross over of axons from the gracile nucleus
and cuneate nucleus
. The fibres of this decussation are called the internal arcuate fibres and are found at the superior aspect of the closed medulla superior to the motor decussation. It is part of the second neuron in the Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway
.
Decussation
Decussation is used in biological contexts to describe a crossing.Examples include:* In the brain, where nerve fibers obliquely cross from one lateral part to the other, that is to say they cross at a level other than their origin...
or cross over of axons from the gracile nucleus
Gracile nucleus
Located in the medulla oblongata, the gracile nucleus is one of the dorsal column nuclei that participate in the sensation of fine touch and proprioception of the lower body...
and cuneate nucleus
Cuneate nucleus
One of the dorsal column nuclei, the cuneate nucleus is a wedge-shaped nucleus in the closed part of the medulla oblongata. It contains cells that give rise to the cuneate tubercle, visible on the posterior aspect of the medulla...
. The fibres of this decussation are called the internal arcuate fibres and are found at the superior aspect of the closed medulla superior to the motor decussation. It is part of the second neuron in the Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway
Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway
The posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway is the sensory pathway responsible for transmitting fine touch, vibration and conscious proprioceptive information from the body to the cerebral cortex; as well as tactile pressure, barognosis, graphesthesia, stereognosis, recognition...
.
External links
- Image at umd.edu