Trapezoid body
The trapezoid body or ventral acoustic stria is a structure in the pontine tegmentum formed by the crossing-over (decussation) of a portion of the efferent second-order fibers of the ventral cochlear nucleus (anterior cochlear nucleus). After decussating, some of these fibres proceed to ascend in the contralateral lateral lemniscus to reach and terminate in the dorsal nucleus of lateral lemniscus, and inferior colliculus.[1]: 383 The trapezoid body is part of the auditory pathway. It is one of three distinct decussating second-order efferent fiber pathways of the cochlear nuclei (the other two being the dorsal acoustic striae, and intermediate acoustic striae).[1]: 383 Not all efferents of the cochlear nuclei decussate though; the partial decussation of the cochear nuclei afferents is thought to be functionally important for sound localization.[2] AnatomyThe trapezoid body is formed by horizontally-oriented, commissural fibers[1]: 107 which are readily identifiable.[1]: 383 ProjectionsThe fibres of the trapezoid body terminate (synapse) in the (contralateral):[1]: 383
RelationsIt is situated in (the caudal portion of[2]) the ventral pontine tegmentum[1] at the level of the pontomedullary junction.[3] It is situated immediately dorsal/posterior to the pontine nuclei, and ventral/anterior to the medial lemnisci.[2] References
|