Ascending projections from the lateral descending and common sensory trigeminal nuclei in python.

The primary sensory trigeminal system of Python is characterized by the presence of an additional nucleus which is involved in processing data obtained by infrared sensors. This so-called lateral descending nucleus (LTTD) is strictly separated from the nuclei of the common sensory trigeminal system. The present study was undertaken in order to establish the relation between the two sensory trigeminal systems and higher brainstem structures.