| Ventral posteromedial 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 | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nucleus ventralis posteromedialis |
| NeuroNames | 347 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_743 |
| TA98 | A14.1.08.642 |
| TA2 | 5693 |
| FMA | 62202 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Theventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) is anucleus within theventral posterior nucleus of thethalamus and serves an analogous somatosensory relay role for the ascending trigeminothalamic tracts as its lateral neighbour theventral posterolateral nucleus serves fordorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway 2nd-order neurons.[1]
The term "ventral posteromedial nucleus" was introduced by Le Gros Clark in 1930.[2][3]
The VPM receives second-ordergeneral somatic afferent fibers from theventral trigeminal tract and thedorsal trigeminal tract which conveygeneral somatic sensory information from the face and oral cavity (including touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and propriception). Proprioceptive synapses are situated anteriorly, ones mediating touch in the middle, and nociceptive ones posteriorly.[4]
Third-order neurons in turn project to thesomatosensory cortex in thepostcentral gyrus.
The VPM receives second-order tastespecial visceral afferents from thesolitary nucleus.[4] These synapse in the medial-most portion of the VPM,[5] which is sometimes referred to as the accessory arcuate nucleus.[6]
Third-order neurons in turn project to thegustatory cortex.
The VPM likely also receives somegeneral visceral afferents from the solitary tract conveying non-nociceptive visceral conscious sensations.[7]
The VPMpc is the parvicellular part of the ventral posteromedial nucleus. The VPMpc receives ipsilateral projection inputs from themedial parabrachial nucleus, the "gustatory responsive waist region" of theparabrachial nucleus (which has inputs from the solitary nucleus). The axons of these VPMpc relay neurons make synapses with neurons in all layers of the gustatory cortex.[8]
The VPMpc is argued by some as not actually a part of the VPM, because it does not project to the somatosensory cortex as the remainder of the VPM does, and therefore should be called the basal ventromedial (or ventral medial) nucleus (VMb) instead.[9][10] However, later authors have retained the VPMpc abbreviation, meaning the parvicellular part of the VPM.[11][12]
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