Intralaminar thalamic nuclei

The intralaminar thalamic nuclei (ITN) are collections of neurons in the internal medullary lamina of the thalamus.^[1]

Intralaminar thalamic nuclei
Thalamic nuclei
Details
Part of	Thalamus
Identifiers
Latin	nuclei intralaminares thalami
Acronym(s)	ITN
MeSH	D020646
NeuroNames	317
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_1530
TA98	A14.1.08.615
TA2	5685
FMA	62021
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

Anatomy

Structure

The ITN are generally divided in two groups as follows:^[1]

• anterior (rostral) group
  • central lateral nucleus
  • central medial nucleus (not referred to as "centromedial"^[2])
  • paracentral nucleus
• posterior (caudal) intralaminar group
  • centromedian nucleus
  • parafascicular nucleus

Some sources also include a "central dorsal" nucleus.

Afferents

Midline intralaminar nuclei receive afferents from the brain stem, spinal cord, and cerebellum. Connections with the cerebral cortex and basal nuclei are reciprocal. Afferents from the spinothalamic tract as well as periaqueductal gray are part of a pathway involved in pain processing.^[3]

Efferents

The intralaminar nuclei project efferents to the hypothalamus, amygdala, and limbic lobe.^[4]

Function

The ITN are thought to be involved in mediating arousal, affective, autonomic responses to pain.^[4]

Clinical significance

Degeneration of this area may occur in progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease.^[5]

Research

This area is also prominently affected in traumatic brain injuries. One postmortem study of patients with closed head injuries showed correlation of the involvement of these nuclei with the various degrees of disability.^[6][7]

See also

• Central tegmental tract
• Output of the ARAS