Núcleos intralaminares posteriores del tálamo y procesos cognitivos / Posterior intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus and cognitive processes

Introducción. El núcleo parafascicular en las ratas y el complejo centromediano parafascicular en los primates y otros mamíferos constituyen los llamados núcleos intralaminares posteriores (ILp) del tálamo. Al igual que el sistema reticular activador ascendente y el de los ganglios basales-tálamo-cortical, los núcleos ILp forman parte de los sistemas de arousal cerebral. Objetivo. Describir y analizar diferentes investigaciones experimentales con animales y trabajos clínicos en humanos que sugieren que los núcleos ILp podrían formar parte de un sustrato neurofisiológico subcortical relacionado con los procesos de atención, aprendizaje y memoria. Desarrollo. Los estudios de lesión del núcleo parafascicular en ratas y neuropatológicos y de neuroimagen en humanos muestran una relación entre la degeneración de las neuronas de los núcleos ILp y el déficit cognitivo que se observa en diversas tareas de aprendizaje y memoria en animales, en diferentes enfermedades neurológicas y en alteraciones de los estados de consciencia. Conclusiones. Por sus características neuroanatómicas y neurofisiológicas y sus implicaciones funcionales, los núcleos ILp son excelentes candidatos para la investigación de los procesos cognitivos en el ámbito básico de la psicobiología y el clínico de la neurología (AU)

Introduction. The parafascicular nucleus in rats and the centromedian parafascicular complex in primates and other mammals are the so-called posterior intralaminar nuclei (pIL) of the thalamus. Like the ascending reticular activating system and the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit, the pIL nuclei are part of the brain arousal systems. Aim. To describe and analyze different animal and human studies suggesting that the pIL could also be part of a neurophysiological subcortical system related to cognitive processes as attention, learning and memory. Development. Both parafascicular nucleus lesion studies in rats and neuropathological and neuroimaging reports in humans, indicate a relationship between the degeneration of pIL neurons and the cognitive deficits observed in learning and memory tasks in animals and also in several human neurological diseases and in consciousness disorders. Conclusions. Considering its neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and functional characteristics, the pIL can be considered excellent candidates for investigating cognitive processes in the field of psychobiology and clinical neurology (AU)

[Posterior intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus and cognitive processes]. / Núcleos intralaminares posteriores del tálamo y procesos cognitivos.

INTRODUCTION: The parafascicular nucleus in rats and the centromedian parafascicular complex in primates and other mammals are the so-called posterior intralaminar nuclei (pIL) of the thalamus. Like the ascending reticular activating system and the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit, the pIL nuclei are part of the brain arousal systems. AIM: To describe and analyze different animal and human studies suggesting that the pIL could also be part of a neuro-physiological subcortical system related to cognitive processes as attention, learning and memory. DEVELOPMENT: Both parafascicular nucleus lesion studies in rats and neuropathological and neuroimaging reports in humans, indicate a relationship between the degeneration of pIL neurons and the cognitive deficits observed in learning and memory tasks in animals and also in several human neurological diseases and in consciousness disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Considering its neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and functional characteristics, the pIL can be considered excellent candidates for investigating cognitive processes in the field of psychobiology and clinical neurology.