This traditional list does not accord strictly with human thalamic anatomy.

Nuclear groups of the thalamus include:

anterior nuclear group anteroventral nucleus anterodorsal nucleus anteromedial nucleus superficial (“lateral dorsal”) medial nuclear group (or dorsomedial nucleus) parvocellular part magnocellular part midline nuclear group or paramedian paratenial nucleus paraventricular nucleus of thalamus reuniens nucleus rhomboidal nucleus Intralaminar nuclear group (Intralaminar nuclei) anterior (rostral) group paracentral nucleus central lateral nucleus central medial nucleus posterior (caudal) intralaminar group centromedian nucleus parafascicular nucleus lateral nuclear group in fact a false entity replaced by posterior region pulvinar anterior pulvinar nucleus lateral pulvinar nucleus medial pulvinar nucleus inferior pulvinar nucleus lateral posterior nucleus belongs to pulvinar (lateral dorsal nucleus) belongs to anterior group ventral nuclear group ventral anterior nucleus ventral lateral nucleus ventral intermediate nucleus ventral posterior nucleus or ventrobasal complex ventral posterolateral ventral posteromedial ventral intermediate nucleus metathalamus no more used for the geniculate group medial geniculate body lateral geniculate body thalamic reticular nucleus part of the ventral thalamus