| Nucleus raphe obscurus | |
|---|---|
 Section of the medulla oblongata at about the middle of the olive. (Raphe nuclei not labeled, but 'raphe' labeled at left.) | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nucleus raphes obscurus |
| MeSH | D065849 |
| NeuroNames | 740 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1369 |
| TA98 | A14.1.04.319 |
| TA2 | 6037 |
| FMA | 72585 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Thenucleus raphe obscurus is one of the medullary raphe nuclei. It is located caudal to thenucleus raphe magnus. The nucleus raphe obscurus projects to thecerebellar lobes VI and VII and to crus II along with thenucleus raphe pontis.[1]
The nucleus raphes obscurus has also been implicated in the modulation of thehypoglossal nerve. It has been observed that theablation of this nucleus causes a change in the firing pattern of thiscranial nerve.[2]
In addition, the nucleus raphe obscurus mediatesexpiration via the effect ofserotonin and depresses periodic synaptic potentials.[3] It has also been shown that this nucleus stimulates gastrointestinal motor function; microinjections of 5-HT into the nucleus raphe obscurus increase gastric movement.[4]
