Thalamic Nuclei

Question 1

Part of the limbic system
Major input from mammillary bodies via mammillothalamic tract
Major output to the cingulate gyrus

Answer 1

Anterior Nucleus

Lateral Dorsal Nucleus (LD)

Question 2

Reciprocal connections with prefrontal cortex

Mood, ambition, drive

Answer 2

Medial Dorsal Nucleus (MD)

Question 3

Input from basal ganglia and cerebellum

Project to primary motor and premotor areas of the frontal lobe (areas 4, 6, 8)

Answer 3

Ventral Anterior Nucleus (VA)

Ventral Lateral Nucleus (VL)

Question 4

Major somatosensory nucleus of the thalamus
Processes pain, temperature, and touch input running in the medial lemniscus, spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic tracts
Project to the primary somatosensory cortex (areas 3, 1, 2) in the postcentral gyrus
Lateral part: signals from body
Medial part: signals from face

Answer 4

Ventral Posterior Nucleus (VP)

Question 5

Reciprocal connections with extensive areas of association cortex in parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes

Answer 5

Lateral Posterior Nucleus (LP) and pulvinar

Question 6

Input from the optic tract containing axons from both eyes and forms the optic radiations (geniculocalcarine tracts) which project to primary visual cortex of occipital lobe (area 17)

Answer 6

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)

Question 7

Input from the ascending auditory pathway from inferior colliculus
Projects via auditory radiations to the primary auditory cortex (area 41) in the superior temporal gyrus (Heschl’s gyrus)

Answer 7

Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)