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Anat Cell Biol

Published online November 18, 2024

https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.24.188

Copyright © Korean Association of ANATOMISTS.

Variability of anterior external arcuate fibers in the human medulla oblongata

Parul Kaushal , Dibakar Borthakur , Subrata Basu Ray

Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Correspondence to:Subrata Basu Ray
Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
E-mail: raysb48@gmail.com

Received: July 17, 2024; Revised: August 26, 2024; Accepted: September 17, 2024

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Anterior external arcuate fibers (AEAF) are efferents of the arcuate nuclei, which are located on the ventral surface of pyramids. Several types of fibre bundles superficial to the pyramids have been described in early and mid 20th century. Recently, few of these have been studied in detail. Objective of present study was to observe the morphology of AEAF in the Indian population. Distinct AEAF were noted in 13 out of 50 brain specimens. Based on their relation to olive, AEAF were further classified as supraolivary, preolivary and supraolivary fibers and their prevalence noted as 25%, 15%, and 9% respectively. Supraolivary and preolivary fibers were present together in 9 brainstem sides, while co-presence of preolivary and circumolivary fibers was noted in only 1 side. All three types of fibres were observed together in 5 brainstem sides. When present bilaterally, supraolivary and preolivary fibers were seen in 92.30% and 66.66% of brainstem respectively, while circumolivary fibers were seen bilaterally in 28.57% of brainstem. Supraolivary and circumolivary fibers exhibited variable morphology as single, double and multiple fiber bundles. Morphometric analysis revealed presence of thicker supraolivary fiber bundle on right side, while thicker circumolivary fiber bundles were noted on left side. Present study will add to knowledge of this variable fiber bundle pattern, which has been reported to play an important role in regulation of crucial physiological functions such as breathing and cardiorespiratory mechanisms. These observations open avenues for further research into developmental factors involved in migration of neurons from the rhombic lip.

Keywords: Anterior external arcuate fiber, Arcuate nuclei, Circumolivary fiber, Preolivary fiber, Supraolivary fiber

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