Edit page | Page history | Printable version

ventrobasal nucleus --> ventral posterior nucleus of thalamus

The large posterior part of the ventral nucleus of the thalamus receiving the somatic sensory lemnisci (medial lemniscus, spinothalamic tract, trigeminal lemniscus) and the ascending gustatory (taste) lemniscus, and projecting in turn by way of the internal capsule to the cortex of the postcentral gyrus. The nucleus is somatotopically organised and subdivided into a ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus representing the leg, a ventral posterior intermediate nucleus of thalamus representing the arm, a ventral posteromedial nucleus of thalamus representing the face, and an arcuate nucleus of thalamus receiving the gustatory lemniscus.

Synonym: nucleus ventralis posterior thalami, ventrobasal nucleus.