Basilar part of pons

Basilar part of pons is a crucial structure located in the brainstem. It is the ventral part of the pons, a region of the brainstem, and it is anterior to the tegmentum. The basilar part of the pons contains important neural pathways, including the corticospinal tract and the medial lemniscus.

Anatomy

The basilar part of the pons is a broad, anterior-facing area located on the ventral side of the brainstem. It is formed by the corticospinal tract, which carries motor information from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord, and the medial lemniscus, which carries sensory information from the body to the thalamus.

The basilar part of the pons is bounded by the middle cerebellar peduncles laterally, which connect the pons to the cerebellum. The basilar part of the pons is also in close proximity to the abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI), the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), and the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII).

Function

The basilar part of the pons plays a crucial role in several important functions. It is involved in the regulation of respiration, sleep, and arousal. It also plays a role in the control of eye movements and facial expressions.

The basilar part of the pons also contains the pontine nuclei, which are involved in the coordination of movement and learning of motor skills. These nuclei receive input from the cerebral cortex and send output to the cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncles.

Clinical significance

Damage to the basilar part of the pons can result in a variety of neurological disorders, including locked-in syndrome, a condition in which a person is conscious and aware but cannot move or communicate due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for the eyes.

See also

• Pons
• Brainstem
• Corticospinal tract
• Medial lemniscus