THALAMUS

Dr. Hale Öktem

 Learning Outcomes

• Determines the localization of thalamus in CNS

• Counts the neighbours of thalamus
• Classifies the nuclei of thalamus according to their
localizations
• Describes the afferent and efferent connections of
thalamus
• Says the functions of thalamus
• THALAMUS
• Hypothalamus
• Epithalamus
• Subthalamus

Largest division of the diencephalon

 At the rostral part of the brainstem
 THALAMUS

• Integrates the motor and sensory impulses → RELAY and

INTEGRATIVE STATION
• Receives precortical input from all sensory systems except the
olfactory system
• Largest input received from the cerebral cortex
• Projects primarily to the cerebral cortex and to a lesser degree to the
basal nuclei and hypothalamus
• Coordinates voluntary movements
• Also associated with that of the limbic system and is concerned with
emotional tone and the mechanisms of recent memory
• Large, egg-shaped mass
of gray matter
• Major part of diencephalon
• About 4 cm in length
• 2 thalami, situated on each
side of 3rd ventricle
 Anterior end

 forms posterior
boundary of the
interventricular foramen
(Monro)
• Caudate nucleus (head)
• Internal capsule (genu)
 Posterior end
• Expanded, to form pulvinar
• Pulvinar overhangs
superior colliculus
 Inferior surface

 is continuous with
tegmentum of the
midbrain
• hypothalamus,
anteriorly
• subthalamus,
posteriorly
 Medial surface

• Forms lateral wall of 3rd

ventricle
• is connected to
opposite thalamus by 
interthalamic connection
(adhesion)
• is limited below by
hypothalamic sulcus
 Lateral surface

• Covered by a layer of
white matter external
medullary lamina
• Internal capsule
separates lateral
surface from lentiform
nucleus
Superior Aspect
• Superior surface is covered
with a thin layer of white
mater (stratum zonale)
• The groove between
thalamus and the head of
caudate nucleus is sulcus
terminalis
• Stria terminalis and
thalamostriate vein are
located in sulcus terminalis
• Lateral part of superior
surface forms the floor of
the lateral ventricle
• Stria terminalis connects amygdaloid body to septal nuclei and
preoptic area
• Over the superior surface close to medial side stria medullaris are
located
• Stria medullaris connects the anterior nuclei of thalamus, septal nuclei
and habenula to each other
 Internal and External Medullary Lamina

• Internal medullary lamina is a

“Y” shaped white mater
composed of myelinated axon

• External medullary lamina

is a layer of white mater
covering the lateral surface of
thalamus
 Internal medullary lamina

• Vertical sheet of white matter dividing gray matter into medial and lateral halves
• Consists n. fibers passing from one thalamic nucleus to another
• Anterosuperiorly; splits  Y shaped
• Some fibers connecting thalamus to cerebral cortex are located in internal
medullary lamina: Corticothalamic fibers
Thalamocortical fibers
 Subdivisions of thalamus

• Subdivided into 3
main parts by
internal medullary
lamina
• Anterior part:
Between limbs of Y
• Medial part: On the
side of stem of Y
• Lateral part: On the
side of stem of Y
Classification of thalamic nuclei according to
their function

• Motor
• Sensory
• Limbic
• Association
• Nociceptive ve reticular
 MOTOR

• Connects basal
ganglia and
cerebellum to
primary motor
and premotor
areas
• Ventral anterior
nucleus and
ventral lateral
nucleus
 SENSORY

• Ventral posteromedial
(VPM)
• Ventral posterolateral
(VPL)
• Lateral geniculate body
(Visual impulses)
• Medial geniculate body
(Auditory impulses)
LIMBIC
• Anterior thalamic nucleus
• Lateral dorsal nucleus

• Coordination of limbic functions (emotional tore, mechanisms of

recent memory)
 ASSOCIATION
• Sensory information are carried to the related nuclei of
thalamus by ascending fibers (afferent fibers)
• Efferent fibers go the the association areas of cerebral cortex

• Coordination of complicated movements

NOCICEPTIVE AND RETICULAR GROUP

• Reticular thalamic nuc

• Intralaminar nuc. (influence the level of
consciousness and alertness of an
individual)
• Midline nuclei

• Afferent fibers arise from the nuclei of RF

• Efferent fibers distribute to the different
areas of cerebral cortex
 Nuclei of thalamus
• Anterior
• Dorsomedial
• Lateral nuclei
• Dorsal tier
Lateral dorsal
Lateral posterior
Pulvinar
• Ventral tier
Ventral anterior
Ventral lateral
Ventral posterior
• Midline
• Intralaminar nuclei
• Reticular nuclei
 Anterior, medial, lateral parts

• Contain group of thalamic nuclei

• Smaller nuclear groups within
internal medullary lamina
• Some nuclei located on medial
and lateral surfaces of thalamus
 Anterior Part
• Anterior thalamic nuclei
Receive fiber from mamillary nuclei of hypothalamus. Also
has reciprocal connections with cingulate gyrus
Closely associated with lymbic system, concerned with
emotional attitudes and recent memory
 Medial Part

Composed of a large dorsomedial nucleus and several other nuclei

Has two way connections with prefrontal cortex. Also has connection
with hypothalamus
Integrates large variaty of sensory information including somatic,
visseral and olfactory ones
Reflects them to emotional feelings
 Lateral Part

• Dorsal tier of nuclei

• Ventral tier of nuclei
 Dorsal Tier nuclei
• Lateral dorsal nucleus
• Lateral posterior nucleus

• The connections are not clearly

known
 Ventral Tier

• Ventral anterior nuc.

• Ventral lateral nuc.
• Ventral posterior nuc.
 Ventral Tier nuclei
• Ventral anterior nucleus →influences the activities of the
motor cortex
• is connected to RF, substantia nigra, corpus striatum, premotor cortex and
other thalamic nuclei

• Ventral lateral nucleus → influences motor activity

• has a major input from the cerebellum and a minor input from the
red nucleus
• Ventral posterior nucleus → → →
• Ventral posteromedial
• Ventral posterolateral
• Ventral posteromedial (VPM) →receives the
ascending trigeminal fibers and gustatary pathways
• Ventral posterolateral (VPL) → receives medial
lemnisci and lateral lemnisci (light touch, tactile
localization, discrimination and joint sense)
↓
Posterior limb of internal capsule
↓
Corona radiata
↓
Primary somatic sensory cortex, postcentral gyrus (3,2,1)
 Other nuclei of thalamus
• Intralaminar nuclei
• Midline nuclei
• Reticular nuclei

• Medial geniculate body (a part of auditory pathway )

• Lateral geniculate body (a part of visual pathway)
Intralaminar nuclei of thalamus

• Due to the lesions of intralaminar nuclei of thalamus

thalamic neglect syndrom may be observed
• In unilateral lesions the patient may ignore the contralateral
side of his/her body, do not care the external stimuli from the
contralateral side
Metathalamus
 Medial Geniculate Body (auditory)

• Lateral lemniscus
• Inferior colliculus
• Inferior brachium
• Medial geniculate body
• Efferent fibers go to
Brodmann 41 – 42
(auditory area in cerebral
cortex)
 Lateral Geniculate Body

Retina
Superior colliculus
Superior brachium
Efferent fibers go to
Brodmann 17 (visular
area in cerebral cortex)
 Thalamic Pain Syndrome

The patient is recovering from a

thalamic infarct

Spontaneous which is often

excessive occurs on the opposite
side

The painful sensation may be

aroused by light touch or by cold and
may fail to respond to powerful
analgesic drugs