Location and functional organization of trigeminal wide dynamic range neurons within the nucleus ventralis posteromedialis of the cat.
In urethane-chloralose-anesthetized cats, trigeminal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons were explored in the posterior thalamus. They were found within a narrow zone (about 300 micrometer wide) of the shell region of the nucleus ventralis posteromedialis (VPM), just rostral to the region where trigeminal nociceptive specific (NS) neurons were located. This narrow zone was somatotopically organized with respect to the center of the receptive field. The mandibular division was represented ventromedially, the ophthalmic division was represented dorsolaterally, and the maxillary division fell in between. Neither NS nor WDR trigeminal units were found within the medial part of the posterior complex of the thalamus (POm).
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014278:Trigeminal Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*