Neurons and Nuclei

Head movement generates action potentials along the axons comprising the vestibular portion of cranial nerve VIII, whose bodies are located in the vestibular ganglia. The axons enter the brainstem at the pons/medulla interface, and synapse with neurons in the four vestibular ganglia (superior, inferior, lateral, medial). A few axons continue without synapsing into the cerebellar cortex. The vestibular nuclei send axons to the cerebellum, spinal cord, oculomotor nuclei and thalamus.