thalamus

[ thal-uh-muhs ]

noun

, plural thal·a·mi [thal, -, uh, -mahy].

1. Anatomy. the middle part of the diencephalon through which sensory impulses pass to reach the cerebral cortex.
2. Botany. a receptacle or torus.
3. Also called thalamium. an apartment for women in an ancient Greek house.

thalamus

/ ˈθæləməs; θəˈlæmɪk /

noun

1. either of the two contiguous egg-shaped masses of grey matter at the base of the brain
2. both of these masses considered as a functional unit
3. the receptacle or torus of a flower

thalamus

/ thăl′ə-məs /

, Plural thalami thăl′ə-mī′

1. The part of the vertebrate brain that lies at the rear of the forebrain. It relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex and regulates the perception of touch, pain, and temperature.

thalamus

1. The part of the brain that coordinates nerve impulses relating to the senses of sight, hearing, touch, and taste.

Derived Forms

• thalamic, adjective
• thaˈlamically, adverb

Other Words From

• tha·lam·ic [th, uh, -, lam, -ik], adjective
• tha·lami·cal·ly adverb
• posttha·lamic adjective
• subtha·lamic adjective
• transtha·lamic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thalamus¹

1695–1705; < New Latin; Latin: bedroom < Greek thálamos

Word History and Origins

Origin of thalamus¹

C18: from Latin, Greek thalamos inner room; probably related to Greek tholos vault

Example Sentences

This pathway leads from the hippocampus—a brain region that controls learning and memory—to the thalamus, which acts as a sort of sensory information relay station in the brain.

From MIT Technology Review

The thalamus sits in the center of the brain and processes information from the senses before sending relevant signals up to the cortex.

From Nautilus

Then Preller and colleagues did a more targeted study, using fMRI data to look for changes in functional connectivity between the thalamus and the cortex.

From Nautilus

Researchers have long hypothesized that psychedelics may cause the thalamus to function less effectively, says Preller.

From Nautilus

In the predictive processing model, signals going down from the cortex to the thalamus would represent predictions, and signals flowing up to the cortex would represent errors.

From Nautilus

Ganglia geniculata are found for the first time in connexion with the optic tracts in the lower part of the thalamus.

From Project Gutenberg

The cerebellum is a subsequent outgrowth from the medulla, as is the cerebrum and olfactive166 lobes from the thalamus.

From Project Gutenberg

These serve as nectaries, s, the whorl of stamens inserted on the thalamus and surrounding the pistil.

From Project Gutenberg

The thalamus and corpus striatum are called together, the great inferior ganglion of the brain.

From Project Gutenberg

The optic thalamus is indicated in the engraving, but the corpus striatum, being more exterior and anterior, does not appear.

From Project Gutenberg