Medicine & USMLE

Ventral Lateral (VL) Nucleus

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Thalamic Nuclei
  1. Ventral Posterolateral (VPL) Nucleus
  2. Ventral Posteromedial (VPM) Nucleus
  3. Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)
  4. Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)
  5. Ventral Lateral (VL) Nucleus

Ventral Lateral (VL) Nucleus

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Summary

The ventral lateral nucleus, abbreviated as the VL nucleus for short, is a nucleus located in the thalamus. This nucleus acts as a relay for motor information, which it receives from the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. The VL nucleus then projects or sends this information forward to the primary motor cortex of the brain.

Key Points

  • Ventral Lateral (VL) Nucleus
    • Location
      • Thalamus
        • Major relay for most sensory and motor information
    • Input
      • Motor inputs from
        • Cerebellum (dentate nucleus)
        • Basal ganglia (globus pallidus)
    • Destination
      • Primary Motor Cortex