Thalamus

Question 1

what makes up the medial surface of the thalamus?

Answer 1

• interthalamic adhesion
• stria medullaris thalami (small band of white matter from septal area to habenular nucleus)
• hypothalamic sulcus

Question 2

what makes up the superior surface of the thalamus?

Answer 2

• body of caudate nucleus
• ependyma
• tela choroidea
• stratum zonale (white sheet over thalamus)
• stria terminalis
• thalamostriate vein

Question 3

the tela choroidea separates the thalamus from which structure?

Answer 3

body of the fornix

Question 4

lateral part of the superior surface of the thalamus forms part of the floor of the lateral ventricle. T or F.

Answer 4

T

Question 5

which two structures are in the groove between the thalamus and caudate nucleus?

Answer 5

• stria terminalis
• thalamostriate vein

Question 6

what makes up the lateral surface of the thalamus?

Answer 6

• lenticulothalamic part of the posterior limb of internal capsule
• thalamic reticular nucleus (between the external medullary lamina and the internal capsule)

Question 7

whats on the inferior surface of the thalamus?

Answer 7

• hypothalamus
• subthalamus

Question 8

what makes up the anterior end of the thalamus?

Answer 8

the anterior nucleus (which forms the posterior boundary of the foreamen munro)

Question 9

which veins makes up the internal cerebral vein at the foreamen of munro?

Answer 9

• choroidal veins
• thalamostriate veins
• superior striate veins
• septal veins
• anterior terminal veins

Question 10

what makes up the posterior end of the thalamus?

Answer 10

pulvinar

Question 11

what subdivides the thalamus into three nuclear groups?

Answer 11

internal medullary lamina

Question 12

what are the three nuclear groups?

Answer 12

anterior
medial
lateral

Question 13

what makes up the lateral nuclei group?

Answer 13

Lateral dorsal
Lateral posterior
Pulvinar
Ventral anterior
Ventral lateral
Ventral posterior (ventroposterior medial n ventroposterior lateral)

Question 14

what are the afferents to the VPL nucleus?

Answer 14

medial lemniscus (discriminative touch, vibrations, conscious proprioception)
spinal lemniscus (pain, temp, crude touch, pressure)
note: afferents are from below the head

Question 15

what are the afferents to the VPM nucleus?

Answer 15

trigeminal lemniscus (trigemino-thalamic tract)- facial sensations
solitario-thalamic tract- taste
note: afferents are from the face/above the head

Question 16

what are the afferents to the VA nucleus?

Answer 16

globus pallidus via lenticular fasciculus + ansa lenticularis
substantia nigra
cerebral cortex (areas 4, 6)- corticothalamic
brain stem reticular formation
minor input from dentate nucleus
non specific thalamic nuclei

Question 17

what are the efferents from the VP nucleus going to?

Answer 17

Brodmans area 1,2,3 + other thalamic nuc.

Question 18

what are the efferents from the VA nucleus going to?

Answer 18

motor and premotor cortex (4,6)

Question 19

what is the function of the VA nucleus?

Answer 19

its a relay station from the basal ganglia to the motor and premotor cortex

Question 20

what are the afferents to the VL nucleus?

Answer 20

dentothalamic tract
red nucleus
adjacent thalamic nuclei
globus and embolliform nuclei ??
globus pallidus ??

Question 21

what are the efferents from the VL nucleus going to?

Answer 21

motor and premotor cortex (4,6)

Question 22

what is the function of the VL nucleus?

Answer 22

synergy of movement

Question 23

what is the function of the lateral dorsal and lateral posterior nuclei?

Answer 23

have reciprocal connections with parieto-occipito-temporal association cortex- responsible for sensory analysis at the highest level and contributes to intelligence

Question 24

what are the afferents to the pulvinar?

Answer 24

MGB
LGB
Amygdala
note: connected with parieto-occipito-temporal cortex

Question 25

whats the function of the anterior nucleus?

Answer 25

links the hippocampus and hypothalamus with other thalamic nuclei and limbic cortex (cingulate gyrus)- limbic function

Question 26

whats the function of the dorsomedial nuclear group?

Answer 26

- integrates somato and viscerosensory input - important role in subjective states of the individual and personality

Question 27

the dorsomedial nuclear group has rich connections with?

Answer 27

prefrontal cortex hypothalamus

Question 28

what are the afferents to the dorsomedial nuclear group?

Answer 28

piriform cortex and amygdala

Question 29

what are nuclei in the intralaminar nuclei group?

Answer 29

centromedian nuclei (takes pain and adds an emotional aspect to it) parafascicular nuclei

Question 30

what are the afferents to the intralaminar nuclei group?

Answer 30

brain stem reticular formation!!! medial, spinal and trigeminal

Question 31

what is the purpose of the thalamic reticular nucleus?

Answer 31

all thalamocortical and corticothalamic fibers which travel in the internal capsule pass thru the thalamic reticular nucleus

Question 32

all but a few fibers of the optic tract end in the LGB. T or F.

Answer 32

T

Question 33

efferents of the LGB make up the which tract?

Answer 33

optic radiation of geniculocalcarine tract (which terminate in areas 17, 18, 19)

Question 34

which fibers go to the MGB?

Answer 34

fibers from the inferior colliculus of the same side side and some from the opposite side

Question 35

where does fibers of the MGB project to?

Answer 35

to the primary auditory cortex by way of the auditory radiation

Question 36

what is the blood supply to the thalamus?

Answer 36

branches of posterior choroidal artery posterior choroidal artery thalamogeniculate artery

Question 37

where does the dural sac close?

Answer 37

S2