The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) is the main thalamic relay for body sensation from the neck down. It receives touch, vibration and position sense from the medial lemniscus and pain and temperature from the spinothalamic tract. It then passes these signals to the primary somatosensory cortex of the postcentral gyrus.
| Location | Lateral nuclear group of the thalamus, in the posterior part of the ventral tier, lateral to the ventral posteromedial nucleus |
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| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Thalamogeniculate arteries (posterior cerebral artery) |
Relays touch, vibration, proprioception, pain and temperature from the opposite side of the trunk and limbs to the somatosensory cortex.
A small lacunar stroke in the VPL and VPM produces a pure sensory stroke: numbness of the opposite face, arm and leg without weakness. This nucleus is one of the sites implicated in central post-stroke pain. Deep brain stimulation of the somatosensory thalamus has been used experimentally for refractory pain.
A small infarct of the ventral posterior thalamus causing numbness or altered sensation of the opposite side of the body with no weakness.
Persistent burning or aching pain on the affected side of the body after damage to the somatosensory thalamus or its pathways.
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