Located in the caudal portion of the ventrolateral pontine tegmentum, the motor nucleus of the facial nerve is a collection of neurons in the brainstem that belong to the facial nerve. These lower motor neurons innervate the muscles of facial expression and the stapedius. Neurons in the dorsal nucleus innervate muscles of the upper face whereas neurons in the ventral nucleus innervate muscles of the lower face. Axons travel dorsally and loop around the abducens nucleus before exiting the ventral pons medial to the spinal trigeminal nucleus. These axons form the motor component of the facial nerve, with parasympathetic and sensory components forming the nervus intermedius.