Ventral posterolateral nucleus

The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) is one of the subdivisions of the ventral posterior nucleus in the ventral nuclear group of the thalamus.^[1] It relays sensory information from second-order neurons of the neospinothalamic tract and the medial lemniscus (of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway), which synapse with third-order neurons in the nucleus. These then project to the primary somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus.^{[2][citation needed]}

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
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]

There is uncertainty regarding the location of VMpo (posterior part of ventral medial nucleus), as determined by spinothalamic tract (STT) terminations and calcium-binding protein staining, and several authorities do not consider its existence as being proved.^[1][3]

The term "ventral posterolateral nucleus" was introduced by Le Gros Clark in 1930.^[4][5]

Anatomy

Subdivisions

The oral part of the ventral posterolateral nucleus (nucleus ventrointermedius) in the human, (VPLO)^[6] is a subdivision of the VPL with projections to the motor cortex.^[7]

There is also a caudal part of the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPLC).^[8]

Additional images

• 
  Thalamus
• 
  The sensory tract.