2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
2 Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology
Part I: Anatomy
Chapter 3: Cranial Nerves: Central and Peripheral Connections
Trigeminal Nerve (Fifth Cranial Nerve)
Motor Nucleus
The motor nucleus is located in the pons, medial to the main sensory nucleus. It receives fibers from both cerebral hemispheres, the reticular formation, the red nucleus, the tectum, the medial longitudinal fasciculus, and the mesencephalic nucleus. The motor nucleus gives rise to the axons that form the motor root, which supplies the muscles of mastication (pterygoid, masseter, and temporalis), the tensor tympani muscle, the tensor veli palatini muscle, the mylohyoid muscle, and the anterior belly of the digastric muscle.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 2 - Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.