Anterior trigeminothalamic tract
The anterior trigeminothalamic tract (or ventral trigeminothalamic tract) serves as a proprioception, touch, and vibration pathway from the face, head and neck (the facial equivalent of the DCML). After receiving input from Meissner’s and Pacinian corpuscles, first order neurons (of the trigeminal nucleus) enter the pons and synapse in the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus. Axons of the second order neurons cross the midline and terminate in the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (as opposed to the ventral posterolateral nucleus, as in the DCML) to mediate conscious sensation of proprioception, touch, and vibration from the face, head, and neck. The third order neuron in the thalamus then connects to the sensory cortex of the postcentral gyrus.
Trigeminothalamic tracts (Netter image)
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