trigeminal motor nucleus


trigeminal motor nucleus

A nucleus of the branchial motor column in the rostral hindbrain. It is found in the ventral pontine tegmentum between the spinal trigeminal nucleus and the superior olive. It is the origin of motor axons in the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V3), and its axons innervate the muscles of mastication and the tensor tympani (a middle ear muscle). See also: nucleus