Ventral posterolateral nucleus

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
TA98	A14.1.08.641 A14.1.08.656
TA2	5692
FMA	62200
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) is a nucleus of ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus.^[1] It relays sensory information from the second-order neurons of the neospinothalamic tract and medial lemniscus (of the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway) which synapse with in the third-order neurons in the nucleus. These then project to the somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus.^{[citation needed]}

There is uncertainty regarding 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]

Anatomy

Subdivisions

The nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis pars oralis (VPLo) is a subdivision of the ventral posterolateral thalamus which has substantial projections to the motor cortex.^[2]

Additional images

Thalamus
The sensory tract.

References

^ ^a ^b Willis et al The Journal of Pain 2002;3:79-94; Graziano and Jones, The Journal of Neuroscience 2004;24:248–256
^ Bornschlegl, M; Asanuma, H (1987-12-22). "Importance of the projection from the sensory to the motor cortex for recovery of motor function following partial thalamic lesion in the monkey". Brain Research. 437 (1): 121–30. doi:10.1016/0006-8993(87)91533-2. PMID 2827861. S2CID 22353965.

Authority control databases	Terminologia Anatomica 2

Anatomy of the diencephalon of the human brain

Epithalamus

Surface	Pineal gland Habenula Habenular trigone Habenular commissure
Grey matter	Pretectal area Habenular nuclei Subcommissural organ

Thalamus

Surface	Stria medullaris of thalamus Thalamic reticular nucleus Taenia thalami
Grey matter/ nuclei	paired: AN Ventral VA/VL VP/VPM/VPL Lateral LD LP Pulvinar nuclei Metathalamus MG LG P cell M cell K cell midline: MD Intralaminar Centromedian Midline nuclear group Interthalamic adhesion
White matter	Mammillothalamic tract Pallidothalamic tracts Ansa lenticularis Lenticular fasciculus Thalamic fasciculus PCML Medial lemniscus Trigeminal lemniscus Spinothalamic tract Lateral lemniscus Dentatothalamic tract Acoustic radiation Optic radiation Subthalamic fasciculus Anterior trigeminothalamic tract Medullary laminae

Hypothalamus

Surface

Grey matter

Autonomic zones	Anterior (parasympathetic/heat loss) Posterior (sympathetic/heat conservation)
Endocrine	posterior pituitary: Paraventricular Magnocellular neurosecretory cell Parvocellular neurosecretory cell Supraoptic oxytocin/vasopressin other: Arcuate (dopamine/GHRH) Preoptic (GnRH) Suprachiasmatic (melatonin)
Emotion	Lateral Ventromedial Dorsomedial

White matter

afferent
efferent
- Mammillothalamic tract
- Dorsal longitudinal fasciculus

Pituitary

Posterior is diencephalon, but anterior is glandular

Subthalamus

Brain and spinal cord: neural tracts and fasciculi

Sensory

DCML

1°:	Pacinian corpuscle/Meissner's corpuscle → Posterior column (Gracile fasciculus/Cuneate fasciculus) → Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus
2°:	→ sensory decussation/arcuate fibers (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers) → Medial lemniscus/Trigeminal lemniscus → Thalamus (VPL, VPM)
3°:	→ Posterior limb of internal capsule → Postcentral gyrus

Anterolateral/
pain

Fast/lateral	1° (Free nerve ending → A delta fiber) → 2° (Anterior white commissure → Lateral and Anterior Spinothalamic tract → Spinal lemniscus → VPL of Thalamus) → 3° (Postcentral gyrus) → 4° (Posterior parietal cortex) 2° (Spinomesencephalic tract → Superior colliculus of Midbrain tectum)
Slow/medial	1° (Group C nerve fiber → Spinoreticular tract → Reticular formation) → 2° (MD of Thalamus) → 3° (Cingulate cortex)

Motor

Pyramidal

flexion: Primary motor cortex → Posterior limb of internal capsule → Decussation of pyramids → Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) → Neuromuscular junction

Extrapyramidal

flexion:	Primary motor cortex → Genu of internal capsule → Corticobulbar tract → Facial motor nucleus → Facial muscles
flexion:	Red nucleus → Rubrospinal tract
extension:	Vestibulocerebellum → Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulospinal tract
extension:	Vestibulocerebellum → Reticular formation → Reticulospinal tract
Midbrain tectum → Tectospinal tract → muscles of neck

Basal ganglia

direct:	1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPi) → 3° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 4° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 5° (Motor cortex)
indirect:	1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPe) → 3° (Subthalamic fasciculus → Subthalamic nucleus) → 4° (Subthalamic fasciculus → GPi) → 5° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 6° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 7° (Motor cortex)
nigrostriatal pathway:	Pars compacta → Striatum

Cerebellar

Afferent

Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum → Granule cell

Pontine nuclei → Pontocerebellar fibers → MCP → Deep cerebellar nuclei → Granule cell

Inferior olivary nucleus → Olivocerebellar tract → ICP → Hemisphere → Purkinje cell → Deep cerebellar nuclei

Efferent

Dentate nucleus in Lateral hemisphere/pontocerebellum → SCP → Dentatothalamic tract → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex

Interposed nucleus in Intermediate hemisphere/spinocerebellum → SCP → Reticular formation, or → Cerebellothalamic tract → Red nucleus → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex

Fastigial nucleus in Flocculonodular lobe/vestibulocerebellum → Vestibulocerebellar tract → Vestibular nuclei

Bidirectional:
Spinocerebellar

Unconscious proprioception	lower limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Posterior thoracic nucleus → Dorsal/posterior spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellar vermis) upper limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Accessory cuneate nucleus → Cuneocerebellar tract → ICP → Anterior lobe of cerebellum)
Reflex arc	lower limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Ventral/anterior spinocerebellar tract→ SCP → Cerebellar vermis) upper limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Rostral spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum)

Physiology of balance and hearing

Hearing

General	Auditory system Bone conduction Otoacoustic emission Tullio phenomenon
Pathway	inner ear: Hair cells → Spiral ganglion → Cochlear nerve ^VIII → pons: Cochlear nucleus (Anterior, Dorsal) → Trapezoid body → Superior olivary nuclei → midbrain: Lateral lemniscus → Inferior colliculi → thalamus: Medial geniculate nuclei → cerebrum: Acoustic radiation → Primary auditory cortex

Balance

General	Vestibular system
Pathway	inner ear: Vestibular nerve ^VIII → pons: Vestibular nuclei (Medial vestibular nucleus, Lateral vestibular nucleus) cerebellum: Flocculonodular lobe spinal cord: Vestibulospinal tract (Medial vestibulospinal tract, Lateral vestibulospinal tract) thalamus: Ventral posterolateral nucleus cerebrum: Vestibular cortex Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers