The solitary tract (tractus solitarius or fasciculus solitarius) is a compact fiber bundle that extends longitudinally through the posterolateral region of the medulla oblongata.
The solitary tract conveys afferent information from stretch receptors and chemoreceptors in the walls of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and intestinal tracts.
Afferent fibers from cranial nerves 7, 9 and 10 convey taste (SVA) in its rostral portion, and general visceral sense (general visceral afferent fibers, GVA) in its caudal part.
Taste buds in the mucosa of the tongue can also generate impulses in the rostral regions of the solitary tract.
The efferent fibers are distributed to the solitary tract nucleus.