Thalamic Nuclei

Question 1

Anterior Nucleus (A)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 1

Anterior tubercle.
Mammillary bodies (hypothalamus).
Cingulate gyrus.
Emotions?

Question 2

Dorsomedial (DM) or Mediodorsal (MD)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 2

Medial to internal medullary lamina.
Amygdala, hypothalamus, spinal trigem nucleus, ALS.
Frontal lobe ant to motor areas & to orbital cortex.
Emotions and non-motor frontal lobe functions.

Question 3

Ventral Anterior (VA)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 3

Lateral to Int Med Lamina.
Globus Pallidus, cerebellum.
Premotor cortex.
Motor.

Question 4

Ventral Lateral (VL)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 4

Posterior to VA.
Globus pallidus, cerebellum.
Precentral g & premotor cortex.
Motor.

Question 5

Ventral Posterolateral (VPL)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 5

Posterior to VL.
Medial lemniscus (Dorsal Column Nuclei).
Postcentral gyrus.
Somatic sensation from body.

Question 6

Ventral Posteromedial (VPM)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 6

Medial to VPL.
Medial lemniscus (Trigem Sensory Nuclei).
Postcentral gyrus.
Somatic sensation from head.

Question 7

Pulvinar (P)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 7

Posterior thalamus.
Sup colliculus, occipital, temporal, parietal lobes.
Occipital, temporal, parietal lobes.
Visual perception, language.

Question 8

Medial Geniculate (MGN)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 8

Posterior ventral surface of thalamus.
Inferior colliculus.
Auditory cortex.
Audition.

Question 9

Lateral Geniculate (LGN)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 9

Posterior ventral surface of thalamus.
Optic tract.
Visual cortex.
Vision.

Question 10

Intralaminar (ILN)
Location:
Input:
Target:
Function:

Answer 10

Embedded in Int Med Lamina.
RF, spinal cord, spinal trigem nuc, ALS, globus pallidus.
Basal ganglia, diffusely to cortex.
Attention, arousal.