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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Medulla Oblongata
Fibers and nuclei – and important nuclei at that. The medulla oblongata is where the brain begins.
01.10.2025
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Striatum
The striatum is not only about complex motor skills, but also about happiness.
28.11.2025
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- Glossary
Nucleus
Nucleus, plural nuclei, has two meanings: in cell biology, it refers to the cell nucleus, which contains chromosomes, among other things. In neuroanatomy, it refers to a collection of cell bodies in the nervous system – in the central nervous system as gray matter, in the peripheral nervous system as ganglia.
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- Glossary
Nucleus accumbens
The nucleus accumbens is a nucleus in the basal ganglia that receives dopaminergic (dopamine-responsive) inputs from the ventral tegmental area. It is associated with reward and attention, but also with addiction. In pain processing, it is involved in motivational aspects of pain (reward, pain reduction) and in the effect of placebos.
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- Glossary
Basal nucleus, lateral part
The pars lateralis refers to the lateral part of the basal nucleus, i.e., the part located on the side.
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- Glossary
Basal nucleus, medial part
Medial part = medial part of Meynert's basal nucleus.
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- Glossary
Caudate nucleus
Part of the basal ganglia, it forms the striatum together with the putamen. Anatomically, the caudate nucleus is located frontally in the center of the brain and extends backward, forming a C shape. It consists of a head (caput nuclei caudati), a body (corpus nuclei caudati), and a tail (cauda nuclei caudati). In contrast to the more motor-related parts of the basal ganglia, this area is strongly connected to the prefrontal cortex in addition to its motor functions. As a result, this part of the striatum is also heavily involved in cognition, motivation, and emotion.
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- Glossary
Cortical nucleus
The cortical nucleus is one of the cortical nuclei of the amygdala. It primarily receives olfactory information and projects to the hypothalamus, entorhinal cortex, and insula, among other areas.
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- Glossary
Paraventricular nucleus
A nucleus of the hypothalamus whose neurons produce various hormones, including oxytocin and vasopressin, which are transported to the neurohypophysis. The PVN sends axons to the limbic system, the brain stem, and other hypothalamic nuclei.
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- Glossary
Suprachiasmatic nucleus
A nucleus of the hypothalamus that plays a central role in circadian rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle. It is the master clock, the body's most important internal clock, controlling melatonin production in the epiphysis. It receives direct input from the retinal ganglion cells.
