Structure and Path - Fibers of the vestibular nerve enter the medulla oblongata on the medial side of those of the cochlear. - Fibers divide into ascending and descending fibers. - Descending fibers arborize around the cells of the medial nucleus in the area acustica of the rhomboid fossa. - Ascending fibers end in the lateral nucleus, situated lateral to the area acustica. - Axons of the lateral and medial nuclei continue upward through the inferior peduncle to the roof nuclei of the opposite side of the cerebellum. - Some fibers from the medial and lateral nuclei end partly in the tegmentum. - Other fibers ascend in the medial longitudinal fasciculus to arborize around the cells of the nuclei of the oculomotor nerve. - Fibers from the lateral vestibular nucleus pass via the vestibulospinal tract to anterior horn cells in the spinal cord. - Fibers coordinate head and trunk movements. - Vestibular root fibers are prolonged without interruption in the nuclei of the medulla oblongata.

Subnuclei - There are 4 subnuclei situated at the floor of the fourth ventricle. - Medial vestibular nucleus (dorsal or chief vestibular nucleus) is located in the medulla. - Lateral vestibular nucleus or nucleus of Deiters is situated in the upper medulla. - Inferior vestibular nucleus is found in the lower medulla. - Superior vestibular nucleus is located in the pons.

Vestibular nerve and Vestibulocerebellar syndrome - Vestibular nerve. - Vestibulocerebellar syndrome.

References - This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 788 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918). - Illustration and text: Bs97/TEXT/P13/intro.htm at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical school. - https://web.archive.org/web/20080405062814/https://www.lib.mcg.edu/edu/eshuphysio/program/section8/8ch6/s8ch6_29.htm. - Parkinson.org.

Not applicable.