Ventral posterior nucleus

The ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus (VP) (syn. Nucleus ventrocaudalis ) is a specific nucleus of the thalamus, a part of the midbrain. He is a part of the system that conveys the sense of touch and pain sense ( somatosensory ).

The information that will be run into the nucleus by different pathways that have and then run through the spinal cord and the brain stem originate in the skin, in joints and in mucous membranes, transferred.

• About the spinothalamic tract, especially pain and temperature sense from the body and from the extremities are directed. About the medial lemniscus of the sense of touch and feelings about the joint position of the trunk and limbs ( proprioception ) are directed mainly. These two traces terminate in the outer portion of the ventral posterior nucleus. This proportion is therefore also called the ventral posterolateral nucleus ( VPL ) (syn. ventrocaudalis nucleus externus).

• About the trigeminal lemniscus to pain, temperature sense, touch and proprioception from the face ( via the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve ) transmitted. This path ends in the middle portion of the ventral posterior nucleus. This proportion is therefore also called ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM ) (syn. Nucleus ventrocaudalis internus ).

Basically, the incoming information is switched to new paths. This pull then a so-called upper Thalamusstiel to the cerebral cortex, especially the beef areas that are responsible for the conscious perception of pain, touch and temperature ( dentate gyrus ). For these cattle areas also tracks rise, which control the flow of information in the ventral posterior nucleus. This stimuli can be blocked or allowed to pass, which, for example, plays a role in the body's own pain relief.

• Brain
• Heartland
• Diencephalon