CENTRES OF THE THALAMUS. 



919 



cortex. Another of its territories (ventral nucleus) similarly mediates 

 between relay cells from nerve cells (spinal) of muscular and cutaneous 

 sense and nerve cells conducting to the somsesthetic field of the cortex. 

 In both these cases the thalamic nucleus projects upon the cortex a sense 

 field in which the body is largely bilaterally represented. The other 

 territories and nuclei of the thalamus are believed similarly to project 

 other sensorial fields upon the cortex. The thalamus is therefore a high 

 intermediary centre between the sense organs and the cortex. There is 

 evidence of a particular dependence of emotional and mimetic expression 

 upon action of the thalamus. In some cases regions of the face are 

 paralysed for emotional but not for willed movements ; in other cases 

 the converse occurs. This has been found related to presence or absence 

 of concomitant thalamic lesions. 1 



1 Nothnagel, later Rosenbach, Neurol. Centralbl, Leipzig, 1886, Bd. v. S. 241 ; 

 Stronieyer, "Topische Diagnostik," 1897, S. 251 ; Barlow, Brit. Med. Journ., London, 

 1877, vol. ii. ; S. Kiritzew, Neurol. Centralbl., Leipzig, 1891, Bd. x.; Bechterew, Mislawski, 

 and others. 



