Solitary nucleus · Facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus (VII, IX, X)
Drawn for this site on 2026-10-01 from plain geometry. Licence: own work.
Each numbered ring is a button. Use the arrow keys to move between them and Enter to choose. Names are read out in Study, and once a nucleus is answered.
Oculomotor nucleus(nerve: Oculomotor nerve (III))In the midbrain, at the superior colliculus. It moves most of the muscles that turn the eye.
Edinger-Westphal nucleus(nerve: Oculomotor nerve (III))A small nucleus beside the oculomotor nucleus. Its fibers travel in the oculomotor nerve to the pupil and lens muscles.
Trochlear nucleus(nerve: Trochlear nerve (IV))In the lower midbrain, at the inferior colliculus. It moves the superior oblique muscle of the eye.
Motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve(nerve: Trigeminal nerve (V))In the upper pons, out from the midline. It moves the chewing muscles.
Abducens nucleus(nerve: Abducens nerve (VI))In the lower pons, close to the midline. It moves the lateral rectus muscle of the eye.
Facial nucleus(nerve: Facial nerve (VII))In the lower pons, to the side of the abducens nucleus. It moves the muscles of the face.
Superior salivatory nucleus(nerve: Facial nerve (VII))A small nucleus low in the pons. Its fibers join the facial nerve.
Inferior salivatory nucleus(nerve: Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX))A small nucleus just below the superior one. Its fibers join the glossopharyngeal nerve, for the parotid gland.
Nucleus ambiguus(nerve: Glossopharyngeal, vagus and accessory (IX, X, XI))A long column out to the side in the medulla. It moves muscles of the throat and voice box.
Dorsal nucleus of the vagus(nerve: Vagus nerve (X))A column in the medulla, to the side of the hypoglossal nucleus. Its fibers travel in the vagus nerve.
Hypoglossal nucleus(nerve: Hypoglossal nerve (XII))A long column beside the midline of the medulla. It moves the muscles of the tongue.
Sensory nuclei 6
Mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve(nerve: Trigeminal nerve (V))A thin column from the upper pons up into the midbrain. It belongs to the trigeminal nerve.
Principal sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve(nerve: Trigeminal nerve (V))The trigeminal nerve's main sensory nucleus. It lies in the pons, to the side of the motor nucleus.
Spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve(nerve: Trigeminal nerve (V))A long column from the pons down through the medulla. It belongs to the trigeminal nerve.
Vestibular nuclei(nerve: Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII))A group of nuclei under the side of the fourth ventricle's floor. They serve balance.
Cochlear nuclei(nerve: Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII))Two nuclei where the pons meets the medulla. They lie out at the side and serve hearing.
Solitary nucleus(nerve: Facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus (VII, IX, X))A column in the medulla. Taste fibers of three nerves end in it.
How this list was compiled: Every name and its nerve checked on 2026-10-01 in at least two of these. (1) Kenhub, Cranial nerve nuclei, https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/cranial-nerve-nuclei. (2) Henry Gray, Anatomy of the Human Body, 20th edition (1918), https://archive.org/details/anatomyofhumanbo1918gray. (3) TeachMeAnatomy, The Midbrain, The Pons and The Medulla Oblongata, https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/brainstem/pons/. (4) Wikipedia, English edition, Cranial nerve nucleus, Midbrain, Pons and Medulla oblongata, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_nerve_nucleus. Detail lines are in our own words. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-10-01 from plain geometry; nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The nuclei of cranial nerves III to XII lie inside the brainstem. Two drawings show it from behind as if it were glass: the motor nuclei first, then the sensory nuclei.
Read the full guide
Motor nuclei
Beside the midline, top to bottom: the oculomotor nucleus with the slim Edinger-Westphal nucleus on its inner side, then the trochlear, abducens and hypoglossal nuclei. Farther out are the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, the facial nucleus and the nucleus ambiguus. The two salivatory nuclei and the dorsal nucleus of the vagus lie between the two rows.
Sensory nuclei
Three nuclei of the trigeminal nerve make one long line: mesencephalic at the top, principal sensory in the pons, spinal below. The vestibular and cochlear nuclei sit at the widest part, and the solitary nucleus is in the medulla.
Midbrain: nerves III and IV. Pons: V to VIII. Medulla: IX to XII.
The motor nuclei of nerves III, IV, VI and XII hug the midline. Every sensory nucleus lies farther out.
Questions and answers
Where are the cranial nerve nuclei located?
In the brainstem. The oculomotor and trochlear nuclei are in the midbrain, the trigeminal, abducens and facial nuclei in the pons, the vestibular and cochlear nuclei where pons meets medulla, and the hypoglossal, vagal and solitary nuclei and the nucleus ambiguus in the medulla.
Which cranial nerves have more than one nucleus?
Several. The trigeminal nerve has four: one motor and three sensory. The oculomotor nerve has two, with the Edinger-Westphal nucleus. The facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves each draw on more than one nucleus.
Which nuclei are shared by more than one nerve?
The nucleus ambiguus gives motor fibers to the vagus, glossopharyngeal and accessory nerves. The solitary nucleus receives taste fibers from the facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves.
What is the difference between a cranial nerve and its nucleus?
The nucleus is a cluster of nerve cell bodies inside the brainstem. The nerve is the bundle of fibers that leaves the brain. Motor fibers start in a nucleus, and sensory fibers end in one.