Motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve (V)

The motor nucleus lies in the middle of the pons medial to the chief sensory nucleus. Its fibers leave the pons ventral to the fibers of the sensory nucleus. Neurons in this nucleus innervate muscles of the first branchial arch, particularly muscles of mastication, tensor tympani, tensor veli palatini, mylohyoid, and anterior belly of the digastric.