Ventrobasal complex

Ventrobasal complex
Details
Identifiers
Latinnuclei ventrobasales
TA98A14.1.08.640
TA25691
FMA77794
Anatomical terminology

The ventrobasal complex (VB) is a relay nucleus of the thalamus for nociceptive stimuli received from nociceptive nerves. The VB consists of the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) and the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL). In some species, the ventral posterolateral nucleus, pars caudalis is also a part of the VB.[1] The VB gets inputs from the spinothalamic tract, medial lemniscus, and corticothalamic tract.[2][3] The main output of the VB is the primary somatosensory cortex.

The VB serves as the main relay for nociceptive stimuli and the modulation of that stimuli to the primary somatosensory cortex. The modulation occurs through different types of receptors present in the VB.

  1. ^ Natsu Koyama, Yasuo Nishikawa, Toshikatsu Yokota. Distribution of nociceptive neurons in the ventrobasal complex of macaque thalamus. Neuroscience Research 31 (1998) 39-51.
  2. ^ W.D. Willis Jr. et al. Projections from the marginal zone and deep dorsal horn to the ventrobasal nuclei of the primate thalamus. Pain 92 (2001) 267-276.
  3. ^ Yasuyuki Nagumo, Yuichi Takeuchi, Keiji Imoto, Mariko Miyata. Synapse- and subtype-specific modulation of synaptic transmission by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the ventrobasal thalamus. Neuroscience Research 69 (2011) 203-213.