trapezoid nucleus (Tz)

The term trapezoid nucleus refers to one of four components of the superior olivary complex as classically defined by Nissl stain in the human. It is located ventrally in the pontine tegmentum. The other components of the complex are the superior olive and the periolivary region ( Carpenter-1983 ). Some authors describe it as indistinctly divisible into a medial trapezoid nucleus and lateral trapezoid nucleus ( Crosby-1962 ). More recent studies based on multiple stains for calcium binding proteins failed to demonstrate a distinct group of cells identifiable as the trapezoid nucleus in the human ( Bazwinsky-2003 ). Embedded in the dorsal portion of the trapezoid body ventral to the pontine reticular formation and lateral to the medial lemniscus of the pons, it is found in the macaque ( Bazwinsky-2005; Paxinos-2009a ), the rat ( Paxinos-2009b ), and the mouse ( Franklin-2008 ). Functionally the trapezoid nucleus is part of the subcortical auditory system ( Swanson-2004 ).

Also known as: trapezoid nuclei, Nucleus corporis trapezoidei, Nucleus trapezoidalis, nuclei of trapezoid body, trapezoid gray, nucleus of trapezoid body, trapezoid nucleus, medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, nucleus of the trapezoid body

NeuroNames ID: 576

All Names & Sources

Showing 18 synonym(s)

Name:

nuclei del corpo trapezoide

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Citation:

EdiSes, s.r.l.- Napoli, 1995

Source Title:

Fondamenti di Neuroanatomia

Name:

nukleus trapezoid

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

nucleus corpus trapezoid

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

NTB

Language:

acronym

Organism:

mouse

Source:

Hof-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Comparative Cytoarchitectonic Atlas of the C57BL/6 and 129/Sv Mouse Brains

Name:

trapezoid nuclei

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

Nucleus corporis trapezoidei

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Source:

Oertel-1969

Citation:

Journal fuer Hirnforschung 11: pp. 377-405, 1969

Source Title:

Zur zyto- und myeloarchitektonik des Rhombencephalon des Rhesusaffen (Macaca mulatta Zimmerman)

Name:

Nucleus trapezoidalis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Shantha-1968

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1968

Source Title:

A Stereotaxic Atlas Of The Java Monkey Brain (Macaca irus)

Name:

nuclei of trapezoid body

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

nuclei of trapezoid body

Language:

English

Organism:

rat

Source:

Bowden-1997

Citation:

Source Title:

A digital Rosetta stone for primate brain terminology

Name:

trapezoid gray

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Crosby-1962

Citation:

New York: MacMillan, 1962

Source Title:

Correlative Anatomy of the Nervous System

Name:

nucleo del corpo trapezoide

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Citation:

EdiSes, s.r.l.- Napoli, 1995

Source Title:

Fondamenti di Neuroanatomia

Name:

Tz

Language:

acronym

Organism:

macaque

Source:

Martin-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Primate Brain Maps: Structure Of The Macaque Brain

Name:

nucleus of trapezoid body

Language:

English

Organism:

mouse

Source:

Paxinos-2001

Citation:

Second Edition, Academic Press, San Diego, 2001

Source Title:

The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates

Name:

trapezoid nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Name:

medial nucleus of the trapezoid body

Language:

English

Organism:

mammal

Source:

Ehret-1997

Citation:

Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997

Source Title:

The Central Auditory System

Name:

nucleus of the trapezoid body

Language:

English

Organism:

rat

Source:

Swanson-1998

Citation:

Second Revised Edition, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1998

Source Title:

Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain

Name:

NTB

Language:

acronym

Organism:

rat

Source:

Swanson-2004

Citation:

Third Edition, Elsevier Academic Press, Oxford, 2004

Source Title:

Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain.

Name:

Tz

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Citation:

Amsterdam: Elsevier-Academic Press. 2009

Source Title:

The Rhesus Monkey Brain, Second Edition

Species With The Structure
Equivalent By Human Macaque Rat Mouse
Internal Structure Has The Structure Has The Structure Has The Structure Has The Structure

Showing 7 record(s)

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

nuclei of trapezoid body

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

trapezoid gray

Source:

Crosby-1962

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

trapezoid nuclei

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus trapezoidalis

Source:

Shantha-1968

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus corporis trapezoidei

Source:

Oertel-1969

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

nuclei of trapezoid body

Source:

Bowden-1997

Basis:

Internal Structure

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Mus (mouse)

Their Name:

nucleus of trapezoid body

Source:

Paxinos-2001

Models Where It Appears
Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.

Functional CNS Model - Rat

The Functional CNS Model - Rat (FMrat) ( Swanson-2004) is one of three hierarchical models representing the internal organization of the central nervous system (CNS). The others are the Structural CNS Model - Human (SThmn) and the Functional CNS Model - Human (FMhmn). The FMrat model represents the basic organization of the mouse ( Hof-2000 AMBA-2024 ) and, presumably, other rodents. Functional CNS models differ from structural models in that structures are defined and named by connectivity rather than by proximity to other structures at the same level. Functional models are more useful for representing longitudinal components of are grouped based on information drawn from multiple neuroscientific disciplines. such as connections, neurochemical characteristics, and role in physiogical and behavioral processes. While the Functional Model was developed primarily for an atlas of the rat brain ( Swanson-2004 ), the hierarchical organization of structures is for the most part applicable to the human, macaque, mouse and other mammalian brains as well. Structures at lower levels of the Functional CNS hierarchy are largely the same as in the Classical and Developmental Models, i.e., they were originally identified by stains for gray matter (Nissl substance) and white matter (myelin). At the next higher level they are grouped into basic connectional and functional systems of the CNS, such as the subcortical sensory systems, the brainstem motor system and the behavioral state system. At the highest levels CNS structures are grouped on the basis of dissection and embryologic precursors into cerebrum ( cerebral cortex and cerebral nuclei ), cerebellum, and cerebrospinal trunk.