Thalamus

The thalamus is a paired diencephalic structure that routes and regulates signals between many brain regions and the cerebral cortex. Its nuclei also contribute to attention, sleep, and other brain functions.

Thalamic nuclei: Clusters of thalamic neurons with distinct connections and functions. Different nuclei relay different sensory, motor, and cognitive signals.
Diencephalon: The forebrain region containing the thalamus, hypothalamus, and related structures. The thalamus is one of the diencephalon's principal components.
Thalamic stroke: A stroke caused by interrupted blood flow or bleeding in the thalamus. Its symptoms vary with the affected nucleus and its connections.
Olfactory bulb: A forebrain structure that receives and processes signals from olfactory sensory neurons. Olfactory information reaches primary olfactory cortex without an initial thalamic relay.
Thalamocortical loop: Reciprocal connections linking the thalamus and cerebral cortex. Cortical feedback helps regulate thalamic signals rather than merely receiving them.
Cerebral cortex: The layered outer tissue of the cerebral hemispheres, involved in perception, cognition, and action. The thalamus exchanges signals extensively with cortical areas.
Central post-stroke pain: Persistent neuropathic pain caused by damage to central nervous system pathways after stroke. Thalamic injury can disrupt sensory processing and produce this pain syndrome.
Hypothalamus: A diencephalic region that regulates homeostasis, hormones, and autonomic functions. It lies beside the thalamus but specializes in bodily regulation rather than cortical signal routing.
Lateral geniculate nucleus: A thalamic nucleus that relays visual information from the retina to visual cortex. It is a well-studied example of a sensory relay nucleus.
Basal ganglia: A group of interconnected subcortical nuclei involved in action selection and movement. Basal ganglia output reaches the cortex through thalamic relays.

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