Cortical projection of the thalamic ventrolateral nuclear group in monkeys.

The ventrolateral nuclear group of the dorsal thalamus in the monkey consists of the large cell mass lying between the external and internal medullary laminae rostral to the pulvinar. Fibers from these nuclei terminate on a sector occupying the middle portion of the dorsolateral cerebral cortex. Previous investigators using, in most instances, the method of retrograde degeneration, have determined the cortical projection of various nuclei within this group (Clark and Boggon, '35; Mettler, '47; Walker, '38). Their results show general agreement; however, their published maps differ in detail with respect to the topical arrangement of the projection of separate nuclei. Furthermore, except in the case of n. ventralis posterior, the details of topographical arrangement of the projection to cortex from within an individual nucleus have not been worked out.