Ventral posterolateral nucleus

The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) is a nucleus of ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus. It relays sensory information from the second-order neurons of the neospinothalamic tract and medial lemniscus (of the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway) which synapse with in the third-order neurons in the nucleus. These then project to the somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus.

There is uncertainty regarding the location of VMpo, as determined by spinothalamic tract (STT) terminations and staining for calcium-binding proteins, and several authorities do not consider its existence as being proved.

Subdivisions
The nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis pars oralis (VPLo) is a subdivision of the ventral posterolateral thalamus which has substantial projections to the motor cortex.