[Pontine cholinergic nuclei of the human brain]

The nuclei of the human pons varolii have been studied in 4 fetuses at the age of 7-8 lunar months by Burt's method. Neuronal types with low, moderate, high and very high cholinacetyltranspherase (ChAT) activity have been revealed, with special reference to their part in 29 pontine cholinergic nuclei. Neurons with the highest ChAT activity are specific for the motor nuclei; sensitive nuclei include, as a rule, neurocytes with low ChAT activity. The part of cholinergic neurons in some pontine nuclei changes from 75 +/- 9% (locus ceruleus) up to 98.8 +/- 2.9% (superior salivary nucleus). Cholinergic function has been stated in the mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, the medial and superior vestibular nuclei, the tegmental ventral nucleus, the reticular parabrachial nucleus, the nucleus of the round fasciculus, the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, the central superior medial nucleus, the nucleus of the superior cerebellar peduncles.