Table of Contents

Centromedian nucleus

The centromedian nucleus (CM) is a key part of the intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus, and it's involved in a variety of important functions, especially in arousal, attention, sensorimotor integration, and modulation of basal ganglia circuits.

Basic Anatomy

- Location: In the posterior intralaminar thalamus. - Group: Intralaminar thalamic nuclei. - Adjacent structures: Mediodorsal nucleus (medially), pulvinar (posteriorly), ventral posterior nuclei (laterally).

Connections

- Afferents:

  1. Brainstem reticular formation: involved in arousal and consciousness.
  2. Spinal cord: nociceptive input.
  3. Cerebellum: via the dentatothalamic pathway.

- Efferents:

  1. Striatum (especially the putamen and caudate): influences motor control through basal ganglia circuits.
  2. Cortex (especially frontal and parietal): modulates attention and awareness.

Functions

- Arousal and consciousness: Part of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS). - Pain perception: Relays nociceptive input to cortex. - Motor control: Via basal ganglia-thalamocortical loops. - Cognitive and attentional modulation: Projects to associative cortical areas.

Clinical Relevance

- Epilepsy: CM is a target for deep brain stimulation (DBS), particularly in generalized epilepsy or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. - Parkinson’s disease and dystonia: As part of basal ganglia circuits, CM-DBS has been explored as a potential therapy. - Disorders of consciousness: Because of its role in arousal, CM stimulation has been tested in patients with coma or vegetative state.

Thalamic centromedian nucleus deep brain stimulation

see Thalamic centromedian nucleus deep brain stimulation.