Exploring the Thalamus (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Exploring the Thalamus 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 8
Preface 14
Abbreviations Used 18
Chapter I. Introduction 20
A. Thalamic Functions: What Is the Thalamus and What Is It For? 20
B. The ''Thalamus'' as a Part of the Diencephalon: The Dorsal Thalamus and the Ventral Thalamus 27
C. The Overall Plan of the Next Nine Chapters 35
Chapter II. The Nerve Cells of the Thalamus 38
A. On Classifying Relay Cells 38
B. Interneurons 66
C. The Cells of the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus 73
D. Summary 76
E. Some Unresolved Questions 76
Chapter III. The Afferent Axons to the Thalamus 78
A. A Functional Classification of Afferents to the Thalamic Nuclei 79
B. Afferent Axon Types as Seen Light Microscopically 81
C. Electron Microscopic Appearance of the Afferent Axon Terminals and Their Synaptic Relationships 101
D. Afferents from Interneurons and Reticular Cells 118
E. GABA Immunoreactive Afferents 119
F. Afferents to the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus 120
G. Some Problems of Synaptic Connectivity Patterns 121
H. Summary 125
I. Some Unresolved Questions 126
Chapter IV. Intrinsic Cell Properties 128
A. Cable Properties 128
B. Membrane Conductances 136
C. Summary and Conclusions 159
D. Some Unresolved Questions 160
Chapter V. Synaptic Properties 162
A. lonotropic and Metabotropic Receptors 163
B. Synaptic Inputs to Relay Cells 166
C. Inputs to Interneurons and Reticular Cells 177
D. Summary 185
E. Some Unresolved Questions 186
Chapter VI. Function of Burst and Tonic Response Modes in the Thalamocortical Relay 188
A. Rhythmic Bursting 188
B. Effect of Response Mode on Transmission from Relay Cells to Cortical Cells 198
C. Control of Response Mode 207
D. Summary 211
E. Some Unresolved Questions 213
Chapter VII. Maps in the Brain 216
A. Introduction 216
B. Early Arguments for Maps 219
C. Clinical and Experimental Evidence for Maps in the Geniculocortical Pathway 222
D. Multiple Maps in the Thalamocortical Pathways 265
E. Abnormal Maps in the Visual Pathways 266
F. Maps in the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus 239
G. Summary 245
H. Some Unresolved Questions 246
Chapter VIII. Two Types of Thalamic Relay 248
A. The Basic Categorization of Relays 248
B. The Evidence That There Are Two Distinct Types of Afferent That Go from Neocortex to Some Thalamic Nuclei 253
C. The Relationship of First and Higher Order Relays to the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus 264
D. Summary 265
E. Some Unresolved Questions 266
Chapter IX. Drivers and Modulators 268
A. Drivers and Modulators in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus 269
B. The Geniculate Input to Cortex as a Driver 278
C. Tonic and Burst Modes in Thalamic Relay Cells 279
D. Key Differences between Drivers and Modulators 279
E. The Sleeping Thalamus 280
F. Can Extradiencephalic GABAergic Inputs to Thalamus Be Drivers? 282
G. Summary 283
H. Some Unresolved Questions 285
Chapter X. Overview 286
Bibliography 292
Index 322