Thalamus: What It Is, Function & Disorders - Cleveland Clinic

Your thalamus is an egg-shaped structure in the middle of your brain. It's known as a relay station of all incoming motor (movement) and ... ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Findoutwhereyoucangettested Needavaccineorbooster? Scheduletoday ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / BodySystems&Organs Thalamus Yourthalamusisyourbody’sinformationrelaystation.Allinformationfromyourbody’ssenses(exceptsmell)mustbeprocessedthroughyourthalamusbeforebeingsenttoyourbrain’scerebralcortexforinterpretation.Yourthalamusalsoplaysaroleinsleep,wakefulness,consciousness,learningandmemory. Appointments866.588.2264 Appointments&Locations RequestanAppointment Overview Function Anatomy ConditionsandDisorders Care Thalamus Overview Function Anatomy ConditionsandDisorders Care BackToTop Overview Thethalamusiscomplexpartofyourbrainthat'sknownastherelaystationofallincomingmotor(movement)andsensoryinformationfromyourbodytoyourbrain. Whatisthethalamus? Yourthalamusisanegg-shapedstructureinthemiddleofyourbrain.It’sknownasarelaystationofallincomingmotor(movement)andsensoryinformation—hearing,taste,sightandtouch(butnotsmell)—fromyourbodytoyourbrain.Likearelayortrainstation,allinformationmustfirstpassthroughyourthalamusbeforebeingroutedordirectedtoitsdestinationinyourbrain’scerebralcortex(theoutermostlayerofyourbrain)forfurtherprocessingandinterpretation. Function Whatdoesthethalamusdo? Yourthalamushasmanyfunctions,including: Relayingsensoryinformation.Takingininformation,intheformofnervesignals,fromallofyoursenses(taste,touch,hearing,seeing),exceptsmell,intoyourbrain.Eachsensoryfunctionhasathalamicnucleusthatreceives,processesandtransmitstheinformationtoitsrelatedareawithinyourcerebralcortex. Relayingmotor(movement)information.Similartosensoryinformation,motorpathwaysallpassthroughyourthalamus. Prioritizingattention.Yourthalamushelpsdecidewhattofocusonamongthevastamountofinformationthatitreceives. Roleinconsciousness.Yourthalamusplaysaroleinkeepingyouawakeandalert. Roleinthinking(cognition)andmemory.Yourthalamusisconnectedwithstructuresofyourlimbicsystem,whichisinvolvedinprocessingandregulatingemotions,formationandstorageofmemories,sexualarousalandlearning. Yourthalamusalsocontributestoperceptionandplaysaroleinsleepandwakefulness. Howdoesyourthalamuswork? Sensoryimpulses(“information”)travelthroughnervefibersfromyourbodythroughbrainstructurestoyourthalamus.Specializedareasofyourthalamus,callednuclei,areeachresponsibleforprocessingdifferentsensoryormotorimpulsesreceivedfromyourbodyandthensendingtheselectedinformationthroughnervefiberstotherelatedareaofyourcerebralcortexforinterpretation. Thischartnamessomeofthebestknownnuclei,theirfunctionandtowhatareaofyourcerebralcortextheinformationisultimatelysent. NucleusSuspectedfunction/roleCommunicateswithwhatsectionofyourcerebralcortexAnteriornucleusMemory,emotions,behaviorregulationConnectedtothehypothalamus;projectstothecingulategyrusDorsomedialnucleusEmotionalbehaviorandmemory;attention,organization,planningandhighercognitivethinkingProjectstotheprefrontalcortexandlimbicsystemVentralposterolateralnucleusRelaysensoryinformation(pain,temperatureandtouch)ProjectstothesomatosensorycortexVentralposteromedialnucleusRelaysensoryinformationfromthefaceProjectstothesomatosensorycortexVentralanteriornucleusRelaymotorinformationaboutmovement/tremorProjecttothesubstantianigra,premotorcortex,reticularformulationandcorpusstriatumVentrolateralnucleusRelaymotorinformationProjecttothesubstantianigra,premotorcortex,reticularformulationandcorpusstriatumLateralposteriornucleusCognitive,determineprominentvisualstimuliProjectstothevisualcortexPulvinarnucleusProcessvisualinformationProjectstothevisualcortexMedialgeniculatenucleusProcessauditoryinformationPrimaryauditorycortexLateralgeniculatenucleusProcessvisualinformationVisualcortexReticularnucleusMakesuptheoutercoveringofthethalamus;influencestheactivityofothernucleiwithinthethalamusDoesn’tprojecttothecerebralcortex Anatomy Whereisthethalamuslocated? Yourthalamusliesaboveyourbrainsteminthemiddleofyourbrain.Althoughitmaylooklikeasinglestructure,youactuallyhavetwo,side-by-sidethalami,oneineachhemisphere(side)ofyourbrain.Beinglocatedinthiscentralarea—likethecentralhubonabikewheel—allowsnervefibersconnections(likethebikewheel’sspokes)toreachallareasofyourcerebralcortex(theouterlayerofyourbrain). Technically,yourthalamusispartofanareaofyourbraincalledthediencephalon,whichincludesyourhypothalamus,subthalamusandepithalamus. ConditionsandDisorders Whathappensifmythalamusisdamaged? Yourthalamusisacentralrelaystationforreceivingincomingsensoryandmotorinformation.Yourthalamusthensendsthisinformationtootherpartsofyourbrain.So,damagetoyourthalamuscanaffectmanyfunctions. Symptomsofdamagetoyourthalamusinclude: Memoryloss(amnesia). Lackofinterestorenthusiasm(apathy). Lossofabilitytounderstandlanguageorspeak(aphasia). Troublewithattention,lossofalertness. Troubleprocessingsensoryinformation. Impairedmovement. Sleepiness. Chronicpain. Damagetoyourthalamuscanresultin: Unconsciousnessandevencoma. Sleepdisorders,suchasinsomniaandfatalfamilialinsomnia(inabilitytosleep,leadingtodeath). Thalamicaphasia(jumbledwords,meaninglessspeech). Movementdisorders,includingtremors. Painsyndromes. Visionproblems,includingvisionlossorlightsensitivity. Thalamicpainsyndrome(tinglingorburningpain). Themaincausesofdamagetoyourthalamusinclude: Strokeinyourthalamus. Tumorsinyourthalamus. Whatconditionsaffectthethalamus? Certainconditionsthatareaffectedbyordamageyourthalamusinclude: Fatalfamilialinsomnia.Fatalfamilialinsomniaisahereditaryprion(atypeofprotein)diseasethatattacksaparticularchromosome.Peoplewhoareaffecteddevelopworseninginsomniathat’sjoinedbypanicattacks,paranoia,phobias,hallucinationsandacompleteinabilitytosleep.Thisisfollowedbyrapidweightloss,dementiaandinabilitytospeakuntildeath. Creutzfeldt-JacobdiseaseandFabrydisease.Thesediseasesshareafeaturethathelpsdiagnosethemcalledthepulvinarsign.Achangeindensityattheback(posterior)ofyourthalamusappearsintheshapeofhockeysticksonanMRIscan. Korsakoffsyndrome.Causedbyalcohol,thissyndromecandamageacertainstructureinyourbrain,themammillothalamicfasiculus,whichextendsintoyourthalamus. Care Isthethalamusatargetforanytreatment? TheventralintermediatenucleusofyourthalamusisatargetfordeepbrainstimulationforpeoplewithParkinson’sdiseasethathasn’tbeensuccessfullytreatedwithmedications. AnotefromClevelandClinic Yourthalamusservesasthemainrelaystationforyourbrain.Allmotorandsensorysignals(exceptsmell)passthroughthisstructureinthecenterofyourbrain.Yourthalamusisarrangedinregions,callednuclei,thateachpossessesspecializationfordealingwiththatparticularinformation.Forexample,informationcomingthroughyoureyetravelstoyourretina,andthenontoyouropticnerve.Itthentravelstothelateralgeniculatenucleusofyourthalamus,whichprocessestheinformationandsendsittoyourprimaryvisualcortexforinterpretation.Thesignalsarethenpassedontoyourcerebralcortexforinterpretation.Yourthalamusalsoplaysaroleinregulatingsleepandwakefulness,andisinvolvedwithconsciousness. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. 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