Paraventricular Epidemiology

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The dorsal portion of the diencephalon comprises three major parts: the epithalamus, the dorsal thalamus (known as the motor thalamus), and the ventral thalamus. The epithalamus consists of the pineal body, the habenular nuclei, the stria medullaris, and the associated paraventricular nuclei. All of these nuclei play key roles in limbic functions. The dorsal and ventral thalamus comprises many nuclear groups that receive inputs from several brain structures and transmits afferent signals to specific areas of the cerebral cortex, except for the RTN which projects only to other thalamic nuclei and brainstem {Jones, 2002, Thalamic organization and function after Cajal;Jones, 2007, The Thalamus}. In general, most thalamic nuclei can be classified …show more content…

However, the multimodal-association nuclei have widespread cortical connections, with association areas in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. Unlike modality-specific nuclei, they do not receive inputs form one dominant subcortical structure but are rather innervated by many different afferent inputs that have significant weight {Smith, 2003, The Thalamus}. Consistent with such a pattern of innervation, the functions of association nuclei are not precise and modality-specific, but are related to higher cognitive functions such as language, learning, and sensorimotor processing {Smith, 2003, The Thalamus}. Lastly, the nonspecific or diffusely projecting nuclei comprise the intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei that provide widespread cortical projections and innervate the striatum {Jones, 2007, The …show more content…

The reticular nucleus surrounds the entire extent of the dorsal thalamus and unlike all other thalamic nuclei, does not provide inputs to the cortex, but instead innervates other thalamic nuclei and the brainstem. The dorsal thalamus is divided into anterior, medial, ventrolateral, and posterior nuclear groups by a band of myelinated fibers, the internal medullary lamina of the thalamus. The anterior nuclear group forms a rostral swelling that protrudes from the dorsal surface of the rostral thalamus. It is separated from other thalamic nuclei by a myelinated capsule. The lateral nuclear group comprises two main nuclear masses, and the ventral nuclear mass, which extends throughout the entire rostrocaudal extent of the thalamus, is divisible into separate nuclei: the ventral posterior nucleus, medial geniculate nucleus, and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus caudally; the ventral lateral nucleus at intermediate levels; and the ventral anterior nucleus rostrally. The lateral nuclear mass, also known as the dorsal-tier thalamic nuclei, located dorsal to the ventral nuclear mass also comprises three major nuclei: the pulvinar, the lateral posterior nucleus, located at an intermediate level, and the lateral dorsal nucleus, the most rostral component of this nuclear mass {Smith, 2003, The Thalamus}. The medial nuclear

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