Trapezoid body
The trapezoid body or ventral acoustic stria is a structure in the pontine tegmentum formed by the crossing-over (decussation) of a portion of the efferent second-order fibers of the ventral cochlear nucleus (anterior cochlear nucleus).After decussating, some of these fibres proceed to ascend in the contralateral lateral lemniscus to reach and terminate in the dorsal nucleus of lateral lemniscus, and inferior colliculus.[2] The trapezoid body is formed by horizontally-oriented, commissural fibers[1]: 107 which are readily identifiable.[1]: 383 The fibres of the trapezoid body terminate (synapse) in the (contralateral):[1]: 383 It is situated in (the caudal portion of[2]) the ventral pontine tegmentum[1] at the level of the pontomedullary junction.[3] It is situated immediately dorsal/posterior to the pontine nuclei, and ventral/anterior to the medial lemnisci.