principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve
{{Short description|Cluster of neurons in the brainstem}}
{{Infobox brain
| Name = Principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve
| Latin = nucleus principalis nervi trigemini
| Image = Gray696.svg
| Caption = The cranial nerve nuclei schematically represented; dorsal view. Motor nuclei in red; sensory in blue. (Trigeminal nerve nuclei are at "V".)
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The principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve (or chief sensory nucleus of V, main trigeminal sensory nucleus) is a group of second-order neurons which have cell bodies in the caudal pons.
It receives information about discriminative sensation and light touch of the face as well as conscious proprioception of the jaw via first order neurons of CN V.
- Most of the sensory information crosses the midline and travels to the contralateral ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) of the thalamus via the anterior trigeminothalamic tract.
- However, information of the oral cavity travels to the ipsilateral VPM of the thalamus via the dorsal trigeminothalamic tract.
{{Pons}}
{{Cranial nerves}}
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