Diencephalon + circuits

• The diencephalon is supplied by the posterior cerebral artery and the posterior communicating artery
• The main role of the thalamus is the primary relay for sensory and autonomic control
• The thalamus connects limbic and basal ganglia pathways
• Limbic pathways are involved in memory and emotion
• Basal ganglia are involved in motor co-ordination
• The thalamus is split into sections via the internal medullary lamina
• The superior thalamus is covered by stratum zonale
• The thalamus is laterally covered by external medullary lamina
• The Medial geniculate is involved in the auditory pathway
• Th lateral geniculate is involved in the visual pathway
• The ventral postmedial pathway is involved in taste
• Reactive response to pain and temp occurs via the spinothalmic pathway
• Discrimitive e.g proprioception and touch is via the dorsal column medial lemniscus pathway