Anterior trigeminothalamic tract
Tractus trigeminothalamicus anterior
- Latin synonym: Tractus trigeminothalamicus ventralis
- Synonym: Ventral trigeminothalamic tract
- Related terms: Anterior trigeminothalamic tract; Ventral trigeminothalamic tract
Definition
The anterior trigeminothalamic tract serves as a pain and temperature pathway from the face, head and neck. The first order neurons enter the medulla and synapse in the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Axons of the second order neurons cross the midline and terminate in the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus. The third order neuron in the thalamus then connects to the sensory cortex of the postcentral gyrus.
References
This definition incorporates text from the wikipedia website - Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia. (2004, July 22). FL: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved August 10, 2004, from http://www.wikipedia.org
