Thalamus

Question 0

Lateral Nuclei Group

Answer 0

Ventral Posterolateral Nucleus (VPL)
Ventral Psteromedial Nucleus (VPM)
Ventral Lateral Nucleus (VL)
Pulvinar (P)
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)
Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)

Question 1

General function

Answer 1

Switchboard for the brain
nearly all inputs to the cerebrum first synapse on neurons in the thalamus - these arise from many areas of the CNS and convey information regarding sensation, motor/movement, emotions, memory, arousal/consciousness, and attention

neurons in the thalamus project axons to almost all areas of the cortex
thalamic neurons also receive dense reciprocal feedback connections from cortical neurons

Question 2

Medial Nuclei Group

Answer 2

Mediodorsal Nucleus (MD)

Question 3

Anterior Nuclei Group

Answer 3

Anterior Nucleus (AN)

Question 4

VPL - ventral posterolateral nucleus

Answer 4

Type - relay: sensory
Input - Ascending somatosensory pathways from body
Output - somatosensory cortex
Function - relays somatosensation of body to cortex

Question 5

VPM - ventral posteromedial nucleus

Answer 5

Type - relay: sensory
Input - Somatosensory pathways from face/taste
Output - Somatosensory cortex
Function - relays somatosensation from face and taste to cortex

Question 6

VL - Ventral Lateral Nucleus

Answer 6

Type - Relay: motor
Input - Motor pathways from cerebellum and basal ganglia
Output - motor, premotor and supplementary motor cortex
Function - relays motor information from basal ganglia and cerebellum to cortex

Question 7

VA - ventral anterior nucleus

Answer 7

Type - Relay: motor
Input - motor pathways from cerebellum and basal ganglia
Output - widespread to frontal lobe including motor areas
Function - relays motor information from basal ganglia and cerebellum to cortex

Question 8

P - Pulvinar

Answer 8

Type - Association
Input - Sensory pathways from tectum
Output - parietotemporooccipital association cortex
Function - behavioral orientation to visual stimulus

Question 9

LGN - lateral geniculate nucleus

Answer 9

Type - Relay: sensory
Input - Pathways from retina
Output - Primary visual cortex
Function - relays visual input to cortex

Question 10

MGN - medial geniculate nucleus

Answer 10

Type - Relay: sensory
Input - Pathways from inferior colliculus
Output - Primary auditory cortex
Function - relays auditory information to cortex

Question 11

MD - mediodorsal nucleus

Answer 11

Type - Association
Input - Pathways from limbic structures
Output - frontal cortex
Function - relay emotional and memory input to cortex

Question 12

AN - anterior nucleus

Answer 12

Type - association
Input - pathways from limbic structures and hippocampus
Output - cingulate gyrus
Function - relay information within the limbic system