1. plural of decussation; the act or process of crossing or intersecting in the form of an X
Usage: anatomy: commonly used to describe nerve fibers or blood vessels that cross each other; formal/technical
2. in anatomy, the crossing of nerve fibers from one side of the central nervous system to the other
Usage: medical/anatomical term; often refers to the pyramidal decussation in the medulla

Examples

• The decussations of the optic nerves occur at the optic chiasm.
• Anatomists study the decussations of motor pathways in the brainstem.
• The pyramidal decussations allow signals from the brain to reach the opposite side of the body.
• Multiple decussations of blood vessels create a complex network in the organ.
• Medical students learn about decussations as part of neuroanatomy.
• The decussations of nerve fibers explain why brain damage on one side affects the opposite limbs.