| Intralaminar thalamic nuclei | |
|---|---|
 Thalamic nuclei | |
| Details | |
| Part of | Thalamus |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nuclei intralaminares thalami |
| Acronym | ITN |
| MeSH | D020646 |
| NeuroNames | 317 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1530 |
| TA98 | A14.1.08.615 |
| TA2 | 5685 |
| FMA | 62021 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Theintralaminar thalamic nuclei (ITN) are collections ofneurons in theinternal medullary lamina of thethalamus.[1]
The ITN are generally divided in two groups as follows:[1]
Some sources also include a "central dorsal" nucleus.
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 thespinothalamic tract as well asperiaqueductal gray are part of a pathway involved in pain processing.[3]
The intralaminar nuclei project efferents to the hypothalamus, amygdala, and limbic lobe.[4]
The ITN are thought to be involved in mediating arousal, affective, autonomic responses to pain.[4]
Degeneration of this area may occur inprogressive supranuclear palsy andParkinson's disease.[5]
This area is also prominently affected intraumatic brain injuries. One postmortem study of patients withclosed head injuries showed correlation of the involvement of these nuclei with the various degrees of disability.[6][7]
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