gracile nucleus

A moderate density was found in the gracile nucleus (Fig.

Gracile nucleus, an area of the brain that participate in the sensation of fine touch and proprioception of the lower body.

The cuneate and gracile nuclei reside at the closed (lower) medulla, so the lemniscus isn't formed at this level.

It lies laterally to the gracile nucleus and medial to the spinal trigeminal nucleus in the medulla.

At the level of the closed medulla oblongata, these axons synapse with neurons in the gracile nucleus and cuneate nucleus.

First-order fibers: found on the ipsilateral side of the spinal cord; ends at the gracile nucleus in medulla oblongata of the brainstem.

The name refers collectively to the cuneate nucleus and gracile nucleus, which are present at the junction between the spinal cord and the medulla oblongata.

In particular, the cuneate nucleus gives rise to the cuneate tubercle, while the gracile nucleus gives rise to the gracile tubercle.

The gracile nucleus and fasciculus carry epicritic, kinesthetic, and conscious proprioceptive information from the lower part of the body (below the level of T6 in the spinal cord).

The sensory decussation or decussation of the lemniscus is a decussation or cross over of axons from the gracile nucleus and cuneate 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 (legs and trunk).

Some ascend for only a short distance in the tract, and, entering the gray matter, come into close relationship with the cells of the dorsal nucleus, while others can be traced as far as the medulla oblongata, where they end in the gracile nucleus and cuneate nucleus.

The gracile nucleus is medial to the cuneate nucleus; its neurons receive afferent input from dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons subserving the lower trunk and limbs, while neurons of the cuneate nucleus receive connections from dorsal root neurons innervating the upper body.

The counterpart to the gracile nucleus and fasciculus is the cuneate nucleus and fasciculus, which carries the same type of information, but from the upper body (above T6, excepting the face and ear - the information from the face and ear is carried by the principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve).