CHAPTER 8

Thalamus

Thalamus In Situ Thalamic Nuclei Thalamus in Horizontal Section Thalamus in Coronal Section

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Thalamus
THALAMUS IN SITU

Location Architecture Function

Paired, medially placed, deep egg-shaped nuclear structures that form part of the lateral wall of the 3rd ventricle Composed of multiple nuclei, which receive input from many cortical and subcortical structures Functions as the gateway to the cortex. Sensory input, other than olfaction, relays through the thalamus before reaching the cortex. All output to the cortex from the cerebellum and basal ganglia relays through the thalamus. The thalamus also relays limbic input to the cortex Due to its multiple functions, damage to the thalamus can cause many problems, including sensory abnormalities, visual-eld decits, and behavioral changes Lesions to the sensory area can cause numbness on the contralateral body and face

Clinical Signicance

Interventricular foramen

Corpus callosum (cut) Head of caudate nucleus Septum pellucidum Columns of fornix Anterior tubercle Stria terminalis Interthalamic adhesion

3rd ventricle Choroid plexus Internal cerebral v. Superior thalamostriate v. (vena teminalis) Pes hippocampi Inferior horn of lateral ventricle Dentate gyrus Collateral eminence Hippocampus Fimbria of hippocampus Posterior commissure Habenular commissure Pineal gland Collateral trigone Calcar avis Posterior horn of lateral ventricle Calcarine sulcus (fissure)

Stria medullaris Habenular tribone Pulvinar (lifted) Lateral geniculate body Medial geniculate body Brachium of superior colliculus Brachium of inferior colliculus Superior colliculus Inferior colliculus Cerebellum

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Thalamus
THALAMIC NUCLEI

The thalamus is composed of many nuclei, which have motor, sensory, and limbic connections. Some nuclei are nonspecic in nature.
NUCLEUS INPUT(S) OUTPUT(S) FUNCTION

Sensory Nuclei Ventroposterolateral (VPL) Ventroposteromedial (VPM) Medial geniculate (MGN) Lateral geniculate (LGN) Pulvinar Spinothalamic tract Medial lemniscus Trigeminothalamic tract, pontine taste area Brachium of the inferior colliculus Optic tract Lateral geniculate body (LGB), medial geniculate body (MGB), superior and inferior colliculi Motor Nuclei Ventrolateral (VL) Cerebellum and basal ganglia Basal ganglia Primary motor cortex Premotor cortex Modulation and coordination of movement Initiation and planning of movement Coordination of movement Primary sensory cortex Primary sensory cortex Primary auditory cortex Primary visual cortex Visual association cortex Somatic sensation for contralateral body Somatic sensation for contralateral face, taste Hearing Vision Visual processing

Ventroanterior (VA)

Ventrointermedial (VI)

Cerebellum

Primary motor cortex

Limbic and Nonspecic Projection Nuclei Anterior (Ant) Mediodorsal (MD) Centromedian (CM) Mammillothalamic tract Temporal lobe, amygdala, hypothalamus Slow pain pathways Cingulate cortex Prefrontal cortex Nonspecic cortical projections Memory storage and emotion Motivation, drive, emotion Emotional content of pain

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Thalamus
THALAMIC NUCLEI
continued

Thalamocortical radiations

Central sulcus

CM LD LP MD VA VI VL VPL VPM

Centromedian Lateral dorsal Lateral posterior Medial dorsal Ventral anterior Ventral intermedial Ventral lateral Ventral posterolateral Ventral posteromedial

Internal medullary lamina Intralaminar nuclei Other medial nuclei MD LD Midline (median) nuclei Interthalamic adhesion LP VL VI VPL CM VPM Acoustic pathway From cerebellum Lateral geniculate body Optic tract Somesthetic from head (trigeminal nerve) Medial geniculate body

Anterior nuclei

VA

Pulvinar

From globus pallidus and substantia nigra Reticular nucleus (pulled away)

Somesthetic from body (spinothalamic tract and medial lemniscus)

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Thalamus
THALAMUS IN HORIZONTAL SECTION

Thalami form the lateral walls of the third ventricle. Posterior limb of the internal capsule separates thalamus from the lentiform nucleus. Pulvinar is demonstrated in the artwork below.

Frontal lobe External capsule Anterior limb of internal capsule Claustrum Extreme capsule Level of section (head of caudate and mid thalamus) Posterior limb of internal capsule Transverse temporal gyrus of Heschl Auditory radiations Tail of caudate nucleus Temporal lobe Head of caudate nucleus Genu of corpus callosum Genu of internal capsule Anterior horn of lateral ventricle

Insular cortex

Optic radiation Temporal pole of lateral ventricle Choroid plexus Fimbria of fornix Occipital lobe

Columns of fornix Third ventricle Globus pallidus Putamen Splenium of the corpus callosum Thalamus Pulvinar

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Thalamus
THALAMUS IN CORONAL SECTION

STRUCTURE

ANATOMIC NOTES

FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

Thalamus

Individual nuclei are anatomically separated. The thalamus denes the borders of the 3rd ventricle Comma-shaped, lateral nucleus of the thalamus Medial to the lateral geniculate nucleus Most dorsal and medial nucleus; forms part of the wall of the 3rd ventricle Located ventral to the MDN Contains multiple nuclear structures, including the VL and VPL Serves as the visual relay center from the optic tract to occipital cortex. Lesions can cause visual eld defects Serves as the auditory relay center from the inferior colliculus to auditory cortex Part of the limbic system

LGN of the thalamus MGN of the thalamus MDN of the thalamus CM thalamus Lateral thalamus

Involved in the central modulation and perception of pain Involved in motor and sensory relays

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Thalamus
THALAMUS IN CORONAL SECTION
continued

Body of corpus callosum Cingulate cortex Interventricular foramen of Monro Cingulum Stria terminalis Body of caudate nucleus Columns of fornix Third ventricle Body of lateral ventricle

Level of section (midthalamus) Medial dorsal thalamus Insular cortex Lateral thalamus Lateral geniculate nucleus Centromedian thalamus Tail of the caudate nucleus

Hippocampal formation Medial geniculate nucleus Cortex of cerebellum Entorhinal cortex Superior cerebellar peduncle Pons (floor of fourth ventricle) Inferior cerebellar peduncle Medulla

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