Lateral reticular nucleus
Encyclopedia
The lateral reticular nucleus, of the funiculus
Funiculus
The cerebrospinal fibers consist of numerous nerve fibers collected together and enclosed in membranous sheaths. A small bundle of fibers, enclosed in a tubular sheath, is called a funiculus; if the nerve is of small size, it may consist only of a single funiculus; but if large, the funiculi are...

, can be divided into three subnuclei, the parvocellular, magnocellular and the subtrigeminal. As is typical of the reticular formation, none of these are very distinct subnuclei, but rather blurred distinctions between cell types and location. The lateral reticular nucleus sends all of its projections to the cerebellum.
  • The parvocellular portion of the LRN and the immediately adjacent magnocellular portion send most their projections to the vermis of the cerebellum. The rest of the magnocellular subnucleus sends its projections to the hemisphere regions of the cerebellum.

  • The subtrigeminal nucleus sends its projections to the flocculonodular lobe
    Flocculonodular lobe
    The flocculonodular lobe is a lobe of the cerebellum consisting of the nodule and the flocculus.It is closely associated with the vestibulocerebellum. This lobe is involved in the maintenance of equilibrium.-External links:...

    .


All of these efferent pathways are projected in an ipsilateral manner to the cerebellum, the most abundant of which are those to the vermis.

This nucleus is also involved in the mediation of inspiration
Inhalation
Inhalation is the movement of air from the external environment, through the air ways, and into the alveoli....

 (in-breathing) with a part of the ventral r. nucleus.

The afferent pathways to the LRN come from the spinal cord and higher brain structures.

Most of the afferents come from the ipsilateral dorsal horn of the spinal cord and project exclusively to the parts of the LRN that do not receive input from the cortex.

The spinal cord projections terminate mostly in the parvocellular region along with the adjacent magnocellular cells.

This implies that most input from the spinal cord is relayed into the vermis.
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