part of ends during starts during hindbrain death neuron Mauthner cell Any of a pair of large, easily identifiable, reticulospinal neurons at the level of the ear in the hindbrain. Importantly, they enable the escape reflex. Inner ear vestibular and auditory neurons form synapses on the lateral dendrite of the ipsilateral Mauthner cell, which in turn form synapses on contralateral spinal motor neurons to activate the C-start escape response. Mauthner neuron eriksegerdell XAO:0005035 CL:0000246 xenopus_anatomy 2015-05-18T18:07:10Z NF stage 22