The abducens nucleus is found in the caudal portion of the pontine tegmentum, beneath the floor of the upper part of the fourth ventricle near to the midline. The nucleus receives afferent input from both cerebral hemispheres, visual input via the superior colliculus, and information about the other cranial nerve nuclei controlling extraocular eye muscles via the medial longitudinal fasciculus.
The abducens nerve passes anterolaterally from the nucleus to exit the anterior brainstem at the medullary-pontine junction. It enters the orbital cavity through the superior orbital fissure to supply the lateral rectus muscle.
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