Level of the most caudal part of the pyramidal decussation
A horizontal section through the junction between the lower medulla oblongata and the first cervical segment.
In this transitional zone the most prominent feature of the white matter is the decussation of corticospinal fibers (approximately 90%).
The gray matter loses the butterfly-shape observed in the spinal region. Important gray matter nuclei include the nucleus gracilis,
nucleus cuneatus, and the spinal trigeminal nucleus.
Actual Specimen Size: 12mm
In this section of the medulla oblongata many labelled structures can be identified.
Answers to the labelled section
