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vestibular nuclei

nuclei in the dorsolateral part of the pons and the medulla oblongata in the brain that receive fibers from the vestibular nerve and serve the sense of balance and orientation in space. They send fibers to the cerebellum, reticular formation, thalamus, and the vestibulospinal tract (see ventromedial pathway).

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Psychology term of the day

November 17th 2024

mother figure

mother figure

1. a person who occupies the mothering role in relation to a child: a mother surrogate.

2. in psychoanalytic theory, a person onto whom the patient transfers feelings and attitudes that he or she had toward the real mother or the primary caregiver. Also called mother substitute.