ATLAS OF NERVE CELLS 



2d. The median nucleus of the thalamus (med) lies behind and below the tuberculum 

 anterius, forming a large mass of gray matter which von Monakow divides into two portions, 

 a median (med, a) and a lateral (med, b] portion. This occupies about one-half of the 

 thalamus in extent, from before backward, being bounded on its lateral surface by the lateral 

 nucleus, and upon its basal surface by the ventral nucleus, and tegmentum of the crura. 

 Von Monakow describes the inner half of this median nucleus as made of larger cells than 

 the outer half, and the two halves are separated from one another by a distinct lamina of 

 white matter. The median nucleus is in anatomical and functional relation with the frontal 

 portion of the Island of Reil and with the second and third frontal convolutions. When 



O T 





O T 



FIG. 9. 

 FIG. 9. Frontal sections through basal ganglia to show the nuclei of the optic thalamus. (After von Monakow.) 



A, section at junction of posterior and middle thirds of the thalamus. B, section at junction of middle and anterior thirds of the thalamus. 



OT, optic thalamus. lat, lateral nucleus. med, median nucleus. a, its median division. *, its lateral division. vent, ventral nucleus. 



H, ganglion habenulae. in, substantia nigra. FED, cerebral peduncle. //, optic nerve. la, anterior tubercle. Int Cap, internal capsule. 

 LN, lenticular nucleus. /, lenticular loop. 



these parts of the cortex are extirpated in animals, the nucleus atrophies, and when they are 

 defective in man, this nucleus is defective in development. The cells of the nucleus are shown 

 in Plate XXV. 



3d. The lateral nucleus (lat). This consists of a large mass of gray matter extending 

 from the anterior extremity of the thalamus backward to the pulvinar and lying against the 

 internal capsule, from which it receives numerous fibres. It is made up of large cells which 

 are shown in Plate XXVI. It is in anatomical relation with the central convolutions. 



4th. The ventral nucleus (vent). This nucleus lies beneath the median and lateral 



