Thalamus

Question 1

What is the basic pathway of sensory info to the thalamus?

Answer 1

1. Info gets collected
2. info is transmitted via various spinal tracts up to the thalamus
3. info is looked and analyzed at the ventral posterior nucleus of thalamus
4. info is sent to the somatosensory cortex where it is interpreted

Question 2

Most of the inputs to the thalamus use _____ as the NT

Answer 2

glutamate

Question 3

What are the three functional thalamic groups?

Answer 3

1. Specific or relay nuclei: well defined inputs and projections; anterior, ventral anterior, ventral laterla, ventral posterior, lateral dorsal, medial and lateral geniculate
2. Association nuclei: reciprocally connected to association cortex; lateral posterior, pulvinar, medial dorsal nuclei
3. Non-specific nuclei: non the same point to point connections like relay nuceli, intralaminar and thalamic reticular nuclei

Question 4

Afferent and efferent:

Anterior division of the thalamus:

Answer 4

Afferent: mammillary body, hippocampus

Efferent: cingulate gyrus

Question 5

Afferent and efferent:

Ventral Anterior (VA)

Answer 5

Afferent: basal ganglia (substantia nigra/pars reticulata)

Efferent: Prefrontal cortex

Question 6

Afferent and efferent:

Ventral Lateral (anterior)

Answer 6

Afferent: Basal ganglia (GPi)

Efferent: Supplementary motor area

Question 7

Afferent and efferent:

Ventral Latera (posterior)

Answer 7

Afferent: cerebellar nuclei

Efferent: premotor, cortex

Question 8

Afferent and efferent:

Ventral Posteriormedial (VPM)

Answer 8

Afferent: somatic afferents from the head region

Efferents: somatic sensory cortex

Question 9

Afferent and efferent:

Ventral posteriorlateral (VPL)

Answer 9

Afferent: somatic afferents from trunk and head

Efferents: somatic sensory cortex

Question 10

Afferent and efferent:

Medial geniculate body

Answer 10

Afferent: brachium of the inferior colliculus

Efferent: primary auditory cortex

Question 11

Afferent and efferent:

Lateral geniculate body

Answer 11

Afferent: optic tract (and superior colliculus ?)

Efferent: primary visual cortex

Question 12

Afferent and efferent:

Lateral Dorsal (LD)

Answer 12

Afferent: hippocampus

Efferent: cingulate cortex

Question 13

Association nuclei - Lateral Posterior (LP) and Pulvinar

Afferent and efferent:

Answer 13

Afferent: Superior colliculus, primary visual, auditory and somatosensory cortex

Efferent: posteiror parietal and lateral temporal assocation cortex

Question 14

Assocation nuclei Dorsomedial DM

Afferent and efferent:

Answer 14

Afferent: prefrontal cortex, olfactory, limbic

Efferent: prefrontal cortex

Question 15

Non-specific nuclei of the thalamus: Intralaminar (centromedian, parafascicular, others)

Afferent and efferent:

Answer 15

Afferent: reticular formation, basal ganglia, limbic system

Efferent: cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system

Question 16

Non-specific thalamic nuclei:

Reticular

Afferent and efferent:

Answer 16

Afferent: thalamus and cortex

Efferent: Thalamus

Question 17

What is the main vascular supply to the thalamus?

Answer 17

Posterior cerebral artery

Question 18

What is the main vascular supply of hte internal capsule (3):

Answer 18

Middle cerebral artery

Anterior cerebral artery

Anterior choroidal artery

Question 19

area – artery – function:

Anterior–

Medial –

Posterior–

Lateral–

Answer 19

Anterior– Polar artery – language (dominant) and memory

Medial – paramedian artery – vigilence, arousal, memory

Posterior– posterior chorodial artery – higher visual

Lateral– thalamogeniculate artery – motor and sensory