Ventral posterolateral nucleus

Ventral posterolateral nucleus
	Thalamic nuclei: ; MNG = Midline nuclear group; AN = Anterior nuclear group; MD = Medial dorsal nucleus; VNG = Ventral nuclear group; VA = Ventral anterior nucleus; VL = Ventral lateral nucleus; VPL = Ventral posterolateral nucleus; VPM = Ventral posteromedial nucleus; LNG = Lateral nuclear group; PUL = Pulvinar; MTh = Metathalamus; LG = Lateral geniculate nucleus; MG = Medial geniculate nucleus
	Thalamic nuclei
Details
Part of	Ventral posterior nucleus
Identifiers
Latin	nucleus ventralis posterolateralis thalami
NeuroNames	344
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_737
TA	A14.1.08.641; A14.1.08.656
FMA	62200
	Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) is a nucleus of the thalamus. Together with the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM), ventral posterior inferior nucleus (VPI) and ventromedial posterior nucleus (VMpo), it constitutes the ventral posterior nucleus. There is uncertainty in the location of VMpo, as determined by spinothalamic tract (STT) terminations and staining for calcium-binding proteins, and several authorities do not consider its existence as being proved.[1]

Input and output

The VPL receives information from the neospinothalamic tract and the medial lemniscus of the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. It then projects this sensory information to Brodmann's Areas 3, 1 and 2 in the postcentral gyrus. Collectively, Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2 make up the primary somatosensory cortex of the brain.

Additional images

Thalamus
The sensory tract.

References

Willis et al The Journal of Pain 2002;3:79-94; Graziano and Jones, The Journal of Neuroscience 2004;24:248–256

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[1] Willis et al The Journal of Pain 2002;3:79-94; Graziano and Jones, The Journal of Neuroscience 2004;24:248–256