The facial colliculus is an elevated area located in the pontine tegmentum (dorsal pons), within the floor of the fourth ventricle (i.e. the

rhomboid fossa The rhomboid fossa is a rhombus-shaped depression that is the anterior part of the fourth ventricle. Its anterior wall, formed by the back of the pons and the medulla oblongata, constitutes the floor of the fourth ventricle. It is covered by a ...

). It is formed by fibres from the facial motor nucleus looping over the abducens nucleus. The facial colliculus is an essential landmark of the rhomboid fossa.

Anatomy

The facial colliculus occurs within the rhomboid fossa (i.e. the floor of the fourth ventricle) where it is placed lateral to its (midline) median sulcus.

Structure

The facial colliculus is formed by brachial motor nerve fibres of the facial nerve (CN VII) looping over the (ipsilateral) abducens nucleus, forming a bump upon the surface.

Clinical significance

A facial colliculus lesion would result in ipsilateral facial paralysis (i.e. Bell's palsy) and inhibited ipsilateral and unopposed contralateral eye deviation.

Additional images

File:Pons section at facial colliculus.png, Axial section of the Brainstem (Pons) at the level of the Facial Colliculus File:Slide2PITER.JPG, Fourth ventricle. Posterior view.Deep dissection.

References

External links

* http://www.med.yale.edu/caim/cnerves/cn6/cn6_2.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20130930042036/http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/virtualbrain/BrainStem/14CNVII.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20070927162218/http://www.ib.amwaw.edu.pl/anatomy/atlas/image_04be.htm Pons {{neuroanatomy-stub