2-Minute Neuroscience: Pons

The pons is one of the major divisions of the brainstem. It contains a large number of tracts and nuclei. In this video, I highlight some of the more notable of these.

TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome to 2 minute neuroscience, where I explain neuroscience topics in 2 minutes or less. In this installment I will discuss the pons.

The pons is a major division of the brainstem. It is found above the medulla and below the midbrain.

Pons is Latin for bridge, and it was so named because the anterior part of the pons, which is known as the basal or basilar pons, causes the pons to look like a bridge that connects the two hemispheres of the cerebellum. The region behind the basal pons is called the pontine tegmentum or dorsal pons. The pons contains many tracts and nuclei. This video will highlight just some of the more notable of these.

The basal pons doesn’t form a direct connection between the cerebellar hemispheres, but the pons is attached to the cerebellum by the middle cerebellar peduncles, a major pathway between the brainstem and cerebellum. The inferior cerebellar peduncles also travel through the pons to carry information to the cerebellum, and the superior cerebellar peduncles enter the brainstem at the level of the pons and carry information from the cerebellum to the brainstem.

The pons forms most of the floor of the fourth ventricle, and is home to several cranial nerve nuclei, including the trigeminal nuclei, which are involved with sensory and motor functions of the head and face, the abducens nucleus, which controls lateral movements of the eye, the facial motor nucleus, which controls muscles of facial expression, and the vestibular nuclei, which process vestibular information. The pons also contains the locus coeruleus, the largest collection of norepinephrine-containing neurons in the brain, and some of the raphe nuclei, the major serotonin-producing neurons of the brain.

The pons also serves as a conduit for many tracts passing up and down through the brainstem, like the corticospinal tract for voluntary movement, medial lemniscus for tactile and proprioceptive sensations, and spinothalamic tract for pain and temperature sensations.

Reference:

Vanderah TW, Gould DJ. Nolte's The Human Brain. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016.

[alexo]

I have a cerebellopontine cavernous malformation that has hemorrhaged 3 times over the past 10 years, and just now ran into your videos. I've always struggled to make sense of radiologist's as well as the neurosurgeon's notes, and having these concepts put forward in a simpler way has made it very easy for me to understand why my body works the way it does (or rather why it doesn't). Everything from "why cant I feel pain/temp in half my body" to "why does my right eye move inward" have made a lot more sense in the past hour. It's very enlightening. I really appreciate the content you've made over the years and I wish I had seen it sooner. Already downloaded your book and look forward to listening to it soon

[CS-bhur]

I’m a respiratory therapist I just wanted to say your videos are great. Really helps a lot of students

[mr.awesome]

this feels like its being explained to college professors and even they dont understand it

[MegaMikerojas]

My girlfriend had covid March 2020 and suffered Pons Brain Swelling. It effected her speech, can't walk, no balance, and brain fog. It has gotten better but she is not 100% she can't walk without her crutches or walker. She can't speak normally. She has a slurr. Any help??

[chriskim]

0:55 To be strict, superior cerebellar peduncle is connected to midbrain, and inferior cerebellar peduncle is connected to the medulla.

[olorin]

Very cool, but what is all the cream colored, unlabeled stuff between the darker labeled bits and what does it do?

[ONE_ONENESS]

BE BLESSED WITH A PONS OF BENEVOLENT BENEVOLENCE.

[brian]

Is the pons also connected to the geniculate body and the occipit

[CS-bhur]

I’m a respiratory therapist I just wanted to say your videos are great. Really helps a lot of students