thalamus

Question 1

hypothalamus

Answer 1

limbic system, neuroendocrine function, autonomic nervous system

Question 2

epithalamus

Answer 2

pineal gland
habenula (limbic system)

Question 3

subthalamus

Answer 3

subthalamic nuclei involved with motor control
zone incerta

Question 4

thalamus

Answer 4

numerous nuclei (grey matter)
most have extensive reciprocal connections within the cerebral cortex

Question 5

anatomy of the thalamus

Answer 5

located in the diencephalon
egg shaped collection of nuclei
on top of the brainstem
forms the wall of the third ventricle
separated from the hypothalamus by the hypothalamic sulcus

Question 6

what nerve fibres surround the thalamus?

Answer 6

posterior limb of the internal capsule
stria medullaris
stria terminallis (between thalamus and caudate nucleus)

Question 7

what are the two thalami connected by?

Answer 7

interthalamic adhesion (massa intermedia)

Question 8

internal organisation of the thalamus

Answer 8

thin layer of y-shaped afferent and efferent nerve fibres called the internal medullary lamina (white matter)

Question 9

what does the internal medullary lamina divide the thalamus into?

Answer 9

three nuclear masses: anterior, medial and lateral

Question 10

what nuclei are embedded into the internal medullary lamina?

Answer 10

intralaminar nuclei

Question 11

what nuclei wrap around the outside of the thalamus?

Answer 11

reticular nuclei

Question 12

relay of thalamic nuclei

Answer 12

majority project to ipsilateral cortex
- whole cortex receives input from the thalamus
- extensive reciprocal connections to the thalamus (corticofugal fibres)

Question 13

classification of thalamic nuclei

Answer 13

specific, association and non-specific nuclei

Question 14

what are specific thalamic nuclei?

Answer 14

general and special sensory information- sensory cortical regions
motor information- cerebellum, basal ganglia and frontal lobe

Question 15

what are association thalamic nuclei?

Answer 15

input from specific cortical areas and project to associatio areas
regulate activity

Question 16

what are non-specific thalamic nuclei?

Answer 16

associative areas of the cortex and brainstem
involved in arousal and alertness

Question 17

what are the specific (relay) nuclei?

Answer 17

sensory and motor connections located in the lateral nuclear group (ventral part only)
-ventral anterior
-ventral lateral
-ventral posterior (lateral/medial)
-lateral geniculate body
-medial geniculate body

Question 18

what are the two types of ventral posterior nuclei?

Answer 18

ventral posterolateral (VPL) and ventral posteromedial (VPM)

Question 19

input and output of ventral posterior nuclei

Answer 19

ascedning pathways from spinal cord and brainstem
general sensory information from contralateral body and face
which projects to the somatosensory cortex

Question 20

information in VPL

Answer 20

limbs and trunk

Question 21

information in VPM

Answer 21

face and head (trigeminal nerve)
taste information (nucleus solitarius in medulla)
vestibular information (vesitbular nuclei)

Question 22

where are the geniculate nuclei?

Answer 22

pole of the thalamus

Question 23

lateral geniculate nuclei information

Answer 23

visual system
optic tract reticular ganglion cells
visual information from ipsilateral temporal hermirentina and contralateral nasal retina
projects to the primary visual cortex via optic radiation

Question 24

medial geniculate nuclei information

Answer 24

auditory information
ascedning fibres from inferior colliculus
projects to the primary auditory cortex via auditory radiation

Question 25

ventral anterior and ventral lateral nuclei information

Answer 25

fibres from basal nuclei (globus pallidus and substantia nigra) - ventral lateral nuclei fibres from cerebellum - both project to premotor and motor cortex - influence normal movement - mediate abnormalities in motor disorders

Question 26

what are the nuclei of the association nuclei?

Answer 26

pulvinar anterior medial

Question 27

pulvinar nuclei information

Answer 27

largest association nuclei afferents from superior colliculus and association cortex projects to secondary visual areas and association areas of parietal, temporal and occipital lobes high order visual function- visual perception and eye movements

Question 28

what nuclei are in the anterior nuclei?

Answer 28

lateral dorsal lateral posterior

Question 29

anterior nuclei information

Answer 29

afferent project from the mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus projects to the cingulate gyrus function not entirely clear (limbic system) - control of instinctive drives - emotional learning - emotional aspects of behaviour

Question 30

lateral dorsal nuclei

Answer 30

expression of emotions

Question 31

lateral posterior nuclei

Answer 31

intergrate visual/sensory input into cognitive functions

Question 32

what nuclei are in the medial nuclei?

Answer 32

dorsomedial/mediodorsal nucleus

Question 33

medial nuclei information (lateral)

Answer 33

inputs from the superior colliculus, olfactory cortex and the ventral pallidum projects to the frontal eye fields and cingulate cortex (frontal lobe) involved in controlling eye movements and attending to visual stimuli

Question 34

medial nuclei information (medial)

Answer 34

inputs from several brain regions (include solitary nucleus, substantia nigra, amygdala)

Question 35

what does the medial nuclei control?

Answer 35

mood and emotions

Question 36

what two nuclei are within the non-specific nuclei?

Answer 36

reticuluar thalamic nucleus and intralaminar nuclei

Question 37

reticular thalamic nucleus information

Answer 37

thin nuclei layer between the external medullary lamina and the internal capsule inputs from reticular formation (brainstem), cerebral cortex and thalamus strong inhibitory output to thalamic nuclei may regulate signals relaying through the thalamus important in sleep wake cycles and selective attention

Question 38

intralaminar nuclei

Answer 38

embedded within the internal medullary lamina inputs from reticular formation, spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic systems project to widespread cortical regions and basal nuclei activates the cortex and disrupt alpha brain rhythm (sleep) involved in arousal and alertness