| nucleus ventralis posterior thalami | 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. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| nucleus ventralis posterolateralis thalami | Lateral part of the ventrobasal nuclear complex. See: ventral posterior nucleus of thalamus. Synonym: nucleus ventralis posterolateralis thalami. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nucleus ventralis posteromedialis thalami | ventral posteromedial nucleus of thalamus |
| nucleus ventralis thalami | A large, complex cell mass the external border of which forms the ventral and much of the lateral boundary, as well as the rostral border, of the thalamus; it can be subdivided into an anterior, intermediate, and posterior part. Synonym: nucleus ventralis thalami. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tenia thalami | The sharp edge or angle between the superior and medial surface of the thalamus on either side; to it is attached the epithelial lamina forming the roof of the third ventricle. Synonym: tenia ventriculi tertii, thalamic tenia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tuberculum anterius thalami | anterior thalamic tubercle |
| laminae medullares thalami | Layers of myelinated fibres that appear on transverse sections of the thalamus; the lamina medullaris externa marks the ventral and lateral borders of the thalamus and delimits it from the subthalamus and reticular nucleus of thalamus; the lamina medullaris interna is interposed between the mediodorsal and ventral nuclei of the thalamus and encloses the intralaminar nuclei (centromedian, paracentral, and central lateral nuclei). Synonym: laminae medullares thalami, medullary layers of thalamus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| accessory olivary nuclei | See: dorsal accessory olivary nucleus, medial accessory olivary nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior nuclei of thalamus | Collective term for three groups of nerve cells which together form the anterior thalamic tubercle: the anteroventral nuclei, a relatively large nucleus; the anteromedial nuclei; and the anterodorsal nuclei, a small (but large-celled) nucleus. The nuclei receive the mamillothalamic tract from the mamillary body, and additional afferents by way of the fornix; they project collectively to the cortex of the cingulate and parahippocampal gyrus. Synonym: nuclei anteriores thalami. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arcuate nuclei | A variable assembly of small cell groups, probably outlying components of the pontine nuclei, on the ventral and medial aspects of the pyramid in the medulla oblongata. Synonym: nuclei arcuati. (05 Mar 2000) |
| autonomic nuclei | Nuclei located in the spinal cord (T1-L2, S2-S4) and in the brainstem (Edinger-Westphal nucleus, superior and inferior salivatory nuclei, dorsal vagal nucleus and parts of the ambiguus nucleus) from which general visceral efferent preganglionic fibres arise; may be sympathetic (T1-L2) or parasympathetic (craniosacral); hypothalamic nuclei/areas function in concert with autonomic nuclei. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basal nuclei | Nucleus of the cerebral hemisphere that originally included the caudate and lenticular nuclei, the claustrum and the amygdaloid body (complex); functionally the term basal nuclei now specifies the caudate and lenticular nuclei and adjacent cell groups having important connections therewith (subthalamic nucleus; substantia nigra, partes compacta and reticulata); amygdaloid complex now known to be part of the limbic system. Synonym: nuclei basales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| branchiomotor nuclei | Collective term for those motoneuronal nuclei of the brainstem (n. Ambiguus, facial motor nucleus, motor nucleus of the trigeminus) that develop from the branchiomotor column of the embryo and innervate striated muscle fibres (muscles of mastication, facial musculature, pharynx and vocal cord muscles) developed from the mesenchyme of the branchial arches. Synonym: special visceral efferent nuclei, special visceral motor nuclei. (05 Mar 2000) |
| caput nuclei caudati | The head or anterior extremity of the caudate nucleus projecting into the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle. Synonym: caput nuclei caudati, anterior extremity of caudate nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rami caudae nuclei caudati | Branches to the tail of the caudate nucleus. Branches from either the anterior choroid or the posterior communicating artery, or both, to supply the tail of the caudate nucleus, a branch from the middle cerebral artery to the tail of the caudate nucleus. (05 Mar 2000) |