Thalamus

• Diencephalon


  forming the central core of the forebrain + surrounded by the cerebral hemispheres, the diencephalon consists largeley of 3 paired structures:

  thalamus

  hypothalamus

  epithalamus

  
• Thalamus


  the thalamus consists of bilateral nuclei that makes up 80% of the diencephalon

  the thalamus is the realy station for info coming into the cerebral cortex

  w in the thalamus r a large no of nuclei

  each nucleus has a functional speciality + each projects fibres to + receives fibres from a specific region of the cerebral cortex

  
• Functions of the Thalamus

  w in the thalamus, info is sorted out + edited

  impulses having to do w similar functions r relayed as a group via the external capsule to the appropiate area of the sensory cortex + to specific cortical association areas
• Inputs Funneling Through Thalamic Nuclei

  inputs that regulate emotion

  instructions that help direct the activity of the motor cortices from the cerebellum + basal nuclei

  inputs for memory/sensory integration that r projected to specific associated cortices