Nucleus ambiguus

Nucleus ambiguus
Nucleus ambiguus
	Transverse section of medulla oblongata below the middle of the olive. ("Nucleus ambiguus" labeled at center right.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	nucleus ambiguus
NeuroNames	765
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_2650
TA98	A14.1.04.253
TA2	6011
FMA	54588
	Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The nucleus ambiguus is a group of large motor neurons situated in the reticular formation of the medulla oblongata of the brainstem.^[1] It represents a shared cranial nerve nucleus of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX), and vagus nerve (CN X);^[2]^: 103 the cranial root of accessory nerve (CN XI) is now also considered as (displaced) fibers of CN X arising from the caudal nucleus ambiguus to travel some distance with those of the (spinal root of) CN XI before joining the main CN X.^[2]^: 345

Lower motor neurons of the nucleus ambiguus ipsilaterally innervate muscles of the soft palate, pharynx, larynx, and upper esophagus; they are thus involved in speech and swallowing.^{[citation needed]}

^ Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York: Elsevier. p. 449. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.
^ ^a ^b Patestas, Maria A.; Gartner, Leslie P. (2016). A Textbook of Neuroanatomy (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-118-67746-9.