Thalamus Flashcards
Subcortical Gray Matter
Composed of cell bodies
Synaptic connections will be housed here
Thalamus
Processing station where information is organized before being transmitted to cerebral cortex
Thalamus
Receives sensory input except olfactory
Transmission of conscious awareness of pain, touch and temperature
Receives and processes all internal motor systems
Helps modulate and plan motor movements
Thalamus Functions
General arousal via reticular connections
Sensory connections via spinal cord and brain stem
Motor connections via basal ganglia and cerebellum
Emotional tone/affect via limbic system and prefrontal lobe connections
Anterior Nuclei of Thalamus
Affective expressions (outward appearance of emotions) Projects to limbic and frontal cortex (regulating behavior and function)
Medial Nuclei of Thalamus
Relay to reticular formation
Lateral Nuclei of Thalamus
Important for motor function
Involved with motor loops
Posterior Nuclei of Thalamus
Involved with sensory relay
Limbic Lobe (Anterior Nucleus)
Contribute to emotional tone
Dorsomedial Nucleus (Prefrontal lobe)
Relays information to and from prefrontal lobe
Contribute to judgment, reasoning and executive function
Ventral Anterior Nucleus
Relays information from basal ganglia/cerebellum to premotor areas and M1
Important for motor planning/regulation
Ventral Lateral Nucleus
Relays information from basal ganglia to M1 and premotor areas
Important for motor output regulation
Ventral Posterior Nucleus
Relays information to sensory areas of cortex
VPM and VPL
Relay somatosensory information to cortex
VPI
Relay vestibular information to cortex
Pulvinar Nucleus
Relays information among different cortical areas
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
Relays visual information to primary visual cortex
Medial Geniculate Nucleus
Relays auditory information to primary auditory cortex
Intralaminar, centromedian and midline nuclei
Relay arousal information from reticular system
Internal Capsule
Delivers subcortical structure between basal ganglia
Anterior Internal Capsule
Affective
Genu Internal Capsule
Motor
Posterior Internal Capsule
Motor
Sensory
Frontopontine
From frontal cortex to cerebellum, then relays to pons
Motor
From motor cortex and planning areas, then relays down through internal capsule to brain and spinal cord
Sensory
Synapses in thalamus and relays to different sensory cortices
Thalamic Pain Syndrome
Infarct in VPL (processes pain information)
Thalamic Pain Syndrome Symptoms
Experience spontaneous burning pain and other abnormal sensations
Response to normal input is abnormal (perceived as painful, but it’s not painful)
Location/intensity of pain varies
Thalamic Pain Syndrome Treatment
Narcotic analgesic
Antidepressant meds
Antiseizure meds
