Nucleus raphe magnus

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Brain: Nucleus raphe magnus
Section of the medulla oblongata at about the middle of the olive. (Raphe nuclei not labeled, but 'raphe' labeled at left.)
Latin nucleus raphes magnus
NeuroNames hier-736
Dorlands/Elsevier n_11/12582800

The nucleus raphe magnus, located directly rostral to the raphe obscurus, is afferently stimulated from axons in the spinal cord and cerebellum.

This makes the magnus a likely candidate for part of the motor system; however, it seems to participate in the endogenous analgesia system.

The magnus receives descending afferents from the periaqueductal gray, the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, lateral hypothalamic area, parvocellular reticular nucleus and the prelimbic, infralimbic, medial and lateral precentral cortices [1].

All of these brain areas influence the main function of the raphe magnus.

The main function of the magnus is mostly pain mediation; in fact it sends projections to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord to directly inhibit pain.

The periaquiductal gray, the epicenter of analgesia, sends efferent connections to the nucleus raphe magnus in when it is stimulated by opiates (endogenous or otherwise).

Electrical stimulation of the PAG produces analgesia, as well as administration of morphine to the PAG or n.r. magnus.

The antinociceptic affects of electrical stimulation of the PAG can be blocked by administering naloxone, an opiate antagonist, to the n.r. magnus.

All of this seems to indicate that the magnus is part of the endogenous opiate system, and acts to inhibit pain in the spinal cord.

  1. ^ Hermann, Dirk M. et al. Afferent projections to the rat nuclei raphe magnus, raphe pallidus and reticularis gigantocellularis pars demonstrated by iontophoretic application of choleratoxin (subunit b). Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy Volume 13, Issue 1 , June 1997, Pages 1-21
v • d • e
Brain: rhombencephalon (hindbrain)
Myelencephalon/medulla

anterior/ventral: Arcuate nucleus of medulla • Pyramid (Decussation) • Olivary body • Inferior olivary nucleus • Anterior median fissure • Ventral respiratory group

posterior/dorsal: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • XII, X: Dorsal • IX,X,XI: Ambiguus • IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus • Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus/Accessory cuneate nucleus • Area postrema • Posterior median sulcus • Dorsal respiratory group

raphe/reticular: Sensory decussation • Reticular formation (Gigantocellular nucleus, Parvocellular reticular nucleus, Ventral reticular nucleus, Lateral reticular nucleus, Paramedian reticular nucleus) • Raphe nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus)

tracts: Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) • Inferior cerebellar peduncle • Olivocerebellar tract • Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) • Spinothalamic tract • PCML (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers, Medial lemniscus) • Extrapyramidal (Rubrospinal tract, Vestibulospinal tract, Tectospinal tract)
Metencephalon/pons
Metencephalon/cerebellum Vermis • Flocculus • Arbor vitae • Cerebellar tonsil • Inferior medullary velum

Molecular layer (Stellate cell, Basket cell, Parallel fiber) • Purkinje cell layer (Purkinje cell) • Granule cell layer (Golgi cell) • Mossy fibers • Climbing fiber

Deep cerebellar nuclei (Dentate, Emboliform, Globose, Fastigial)
Fourth ventricle apertures (Median, Lateral) • Rhomboid fossa (Vagal trigone, Hypoglossal trigone, Obex, Sulcus limitans, Facial colliculus, Medial eminence) • Lateral recess
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleus_raphe_magnus"
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