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Glite Dictionary
dentate nucleus

dentate nucleus

9.9
A large folded group of brain cells in the back part of the brain that helps control movement and balance
  • noun
  • /ˈdɛnˌteɪt ˈnjuːklɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : núcleo dentado
  • Damage to the dentate nucleus can result in problems with coordination and movement.

Examples

  • The dentate nucleus plays a crucial role in motor control.

  • Researchers are studying the role of the dentate nucleus in cognitive processing.

  • MRI scans revealed an unusual pattern in the patient's dentate nucleus.

  • Is the dentate nucleus important for coordination?

  • Damage to the dentate nucleus can hinder a person's ability to coordinate movements effectively.

  • MRI scans showed that the structures of the dentate nucleus were altered in patients with movement disorders.

  • The dentate nucleus is essential for integrating sensory and motor information in the brain.

Surface Forms

dentate nucleus singular
dentate nuclei plural

Morphology

dentate + nucleus

The term is compositional: 'dentate' means 'toothed/serrated' and 'nucleus' denotes a cluster of neuronal cell bodies, so the phrase denotes a nucleus with toothed or folded margins. Despite being technical anatomy vocabulary, the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows standard morphological naming patterns, so a learner who knows both words can infer the general sense.

Etymology

Dentate nucleus comes from Latin words meaning 'toothed' (dentate) and 'little nut' (nucleus), because it looks like a folded, tooth-like mass. So the name refers to the deep, folded part of the cerebellum, the part of the brain that helps control movement.