Pons
Anatomy

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Cranial nerves 5,6,7,8 are associated with the pons. Ascending and descending tracts/pathways are present and differ somewhat in their arrangement from that in the medulla. The pons is divisible into a tegmentum dorsally and a base ventrally. The base contains the corticospinal, corticobulbar and corticopontine tracts. The latter terminate on nuclei of the basis pontis sending cortical motor impulses to the cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle. Above the pons is the cerebellum which covers the 4th ventricle.

The structures of the tegmentum reflect the functions of the pons and its cranial nerves. Sensation from the face arrives in the trigeminal nerve and distributes to the chief sensory nucleus, the mesencephalic tract and nucleus and the tract and nucleus of spinal V; muscles of mastication are served by the motor nucleus of V. The lateral rectus muscle of the eye is served by the abducens nucleus near which lies the center for the control of horizontal lateral gaze (PPRF). The MLF connects to the oculomotor nucleus of the midbrain to integrate with the medial rectus muscle and incorporates vestibular information. The auditory division of the CN 8 enters at the pons-medulla junction. Its fibers synapse in the cochlear nuclei and the central auditory pathway continues via the lateral lemnisci (with some synapses in the superior olives) to the inferior colliculus. The vestibular division of CN 8 also enters at the pons medulla junction and terminates in the vestibular nuclei which is an extensive area from high pons through the open medulla. Its connections are to the cerebellum, CN 3,4 and 6, and forms the vestibulospinal tracts. The 7th cranial nerve has motor and sensory components. The motor components serve the muscles of facial expression and secretomotor functions of the lacrimal and salivary glands; general and special sensory (taste) functions are represented in the nucleus solitarius.

The medial lemniscus alters its position from that in the medulla. It moves laterally toward the spinothalamic tracts and lateral lemniscus in the ventral tegmentum. From the basis pontis the middle cerebellar peduncle covers the inferior cerebellar peduncle laterally.