The Lateral Geniculate Nucleus and Pulvinar

Abstract

Glutamatergic pathways in thalamus and cortex divide into driver and modulator classes, and evidence suggests that driver inputs convey information and that modulator inputs modulate. First order thalamic nuclei receive driver inputs from a subcortical source (e.g., retinal input to the LGN), whereas higher order nuclei (e.g., pulvinar) receive driver input from layer 5 of cortex and serve as a transthalamic relay for corticocortical communication.