parabrachial nucleus

Function

• neural processing of hunger & inflammatory pain may converge in the parabrachial nucleus

Structure

• one of a group of nuclei in the dorsolateral pons that surrounds the superior cerebellar peduncle*

* named for superior cerebellar peduncle (brachium conjunctivum)

Comparative biology

• in mice, neurons in the parabrachial nucleus switched on in response to a painful stimulus & remained active long afterwards
  • blocking activity of these neurons decreases persistent pain without diminishing the immedidiate response to pain

More general terms

• CNS nucleus