Ventral posteromedial nucleus

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 thalami
NeuroNames	hier-330
NeuroLex ID	Ventral posteromedial nucleus
TA	A14.1.08.642
FMA	62202
*Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy* [edit on Wikidata]

The ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) is a nucleus of the thalamus.

Inputs and outputs

The VPM conveys facial sensory information of the trigeminothalamic tract from the solitary tract and the trigeminal nerve and projects to the postcentral gyrus.
It also receives primary taste afferent information from the solitary tract and projects to the cortical gustatory area.

Additional images

Thalamus

Anatomy of the diencephalon of the human brain

Epithalamus

Surface	Pineal gland Habenula Habenular trigone Habenular commissure

Grey matter	Pretectal area Habenular nuclei Subcommissural organ

Thalamus

Surface	Stria medullaris of thalamus Thalamic reticular nucleus Taenia thalami

Grey matter/ nuclei	paired: AN Ventral VA/VL VP/VPM/VPL Lateral LD LP Pulvinar nuclei Metathalamus MG LG P cell M cell K cell midline: MD Intralaminar Centromedian Midline nuclear group Interthalamic adhesion

White matter	Mammillothalamic fasciculus Pallidothalamic tracts Ansa lenticularis Lenticular fasciculus Thalamic fasciculus PCML Medial lemniscus Trigeminal lemniscus Spinothalamic tract Lateral lemniscus Dentatothalamic tract Acoustic radiation Optic radiation Subthalamic fasciculus Anterior trigeminothalamic tract Medullary laminae

Hypothalamus

Surface

Grey matter

Autonomic zones	Anterior (parasympathetic/heat loss) Posterior (sympathetic/heat conservation)

Endocrine	posterior pituitary: Paraventricular Magnocellular neurosecretory cell Parvocellular neurosecretory cell Supraoptic oxytocin/vasopressin other: Arcuate (dopamine/GHRH) Preoptic (GnRH) Suprachiasmatic (melatonin)

Emotion	Lateral Ventromedial Dorsomedial

White matter

afferent
- Medial forebrain bundle
- Retinohypothalamic tract
efferent

Pituitary

Posterior is diencephalon, but anterior is glandular

Subthalamus

Anatomy of taste

Tongue

Path

medulla	Solitary tract VII IX X Solitary nucleus Gustatory nucleus

pons	Central tegmental tract Medial parabrachial nucleus Hypothalamus Amygdala

thalamus	Ventral posteromedial nucleus

cerebrum	Posterior limb of internal capsule Gustatory cortex

Other

Basic tastes

Brain and spinal cord: neural tracts and fasciculi

Sensory/
ascending

PCML

1°:	Pacinian corpuscle/Meissner's corpuscle → Posterior column (Gracile fasciculus/Cuneate fasciculus) → Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus

2°:	→ sensory decussation/arcuate fibers (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers) → Medial lemniscus/Trigeminal lemniscus → Thalamus (VPL, VPM)

3°:	→ Posterior limb of internal capsule → Postcentral gyrus

Anterolateral/
pain

Fast/lateral	1° (Free nerve ending → A delta fiber) → 2° (Anterior white commissure → Lateral and Anterior Spinothalamic tract → Spinal lemniscus → VPL of Thalamus) → 3° (Postcentral gyrus) → 4° (Posterior parietal cortex) 2° (Spinomesencephalic tract → Superior colliculus of Midbrain tectum)

Slow/medial	1° (Group C nerve fiber → Spinoreticular tract → Reticular formation) → 2° (MD of Thalamus) → 3° (Cingulate cortex)

Motor/
descending

Pyramidal

flexion: Primary motor cortex → Posterior limb of internal capsule → Decussation of pyramids → Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) → Neuromuscular junction

Extrapyramidal

flexion:	Primary motor cortex → Genu of internal capsule → Corticobulbar tract → Facial motor nucleus → Facial muscles

flexion:	Red nucleus → Rubrospinal tract

extension:	Vestibulocerebellum → Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulospinal tract

extension:	Vestibulocerebellum → Reticular formation → Reticulospinal tract

Midbrain tectum → Tectospinal tract → muscles of neck

Basal ganglia

direct:	1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPi) → 3° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 4° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 5° (Motor cortex)

indirect:	1° (Motor cortex → Striatum) → 2° (GPe) → 3° (Subthalamic fasciculus → Subthalamic nucleus) → 4° (Subthalamic fasciculus → GPi) → 5° (Lenticular fasciculus/Ansa lenticularis → Thalamic fasciculus → VL of Thalamus) → 6° (Thalamocortical radiations → Supplementary motor area) → 7° (Motor cortex)

nigrostriatal pathway:	Pars compacta → Striatum

Cerebellar

Afferent

Vestibular nuclei → Vestibulocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum → Granule cell

Pontine nuclei → Pontocerebellar fibers → MCP → Deep cerebellar nuclei → Granule cell

Inferior olivary nucleus → Olivocerebellar tract → ICP → Hemisphere → Purkinje cell → Deep cerebellar nuclei

Efferent

Dentate nucleus in Lateral hemisphere/pontocerebellum → SCP → Dentatothalamic tract → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex

Interposed nucleus in Intermediate hemisphere/spinocerebellum → SCP → Reticular formation, or → Cerebellothalamic tract → Red nucleus → Thalamus (VL) → Motor cortex

Fastigial nucleus in Flocculonodular lobe/vestibulocerebellum → Vestibulocerebellar tract → Vestibular nuclei

Bidirectional:
Spinocerebellar

Unconscious proprioception	lower limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Posterior thoracic nucleus → Dorsal/posterior spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellar vermis) upper limb → 1° (muscle spindles → DRG) → 2° (Accessory cuneate nucleus → Cuneocerebellar tract → ICP → Anterior lobe of cerebellum)

Reflex arc	lower limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Ventral/anterior spinocerebellar tract→ SCP → Cerebellar vermis) upper limb → 1° (Golgi tendon organ) → 2° (Rostral spinocerebellar tract → ICP → Cerebellum)

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