The Thalamus
The thalamus is an oval-shaped piece in the forebrain, about the size of a walnut. The thalamus is located in the forebrain, under the corpus callosum.
The main function of the thalamus is to relay information from sensory receptors to certain areas of the brain where it will be processed. Sensory information is the five senses: smell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight.
The main function of the thalamus is to relay information from sensory receptors to certain areas of the brain where it will be processed. Sensory information is the five senses: smell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight.
Thalamus Damage Results
If the thalamus is damaged it could result in many things, depending on the severity of the damage. The damage could lead to sensory information not being processed and result in confusion. It could also result in comas, permanent as well as temporary. Minor damage can cause a light tingling or burning sensation in one side of your body, usually the face, hand, and/or leg. Minor damage could also cause concentration problems, sleeping problems, or flat out insomnia. There is also Thalamic Pain Syndrome that makes your body hypersensitive to pain because the thalamus is the part of the brain that affects sensation.
If the thalamus is damaged it could result in many things, depending on the severity of the damage. The damage could lead to sensory information not being processed and result in confusion. It could also result in comas, permanent as well as temporary. Minor damage can cause a light tingling or burning sensation in one side of your body, usually the face, hand, and/or leg. Minor damage could also cause concentration problems, sleeping problems, or flat out insomnia. There is also Thalamic Pain Syndrome that makes your body hypersensitive to pain because the thalamus is the part of the brain that affects sensation.
Bibliography
SAFE Resources | Reading Room | "Thalamic Pain Syndrome"." 2002. 29 Apr. 2014 <http://www.strokesafe.org/resources/thalamic_pain_syndrome.html>
Sally Robertson. "Thalamus - What is the Thalamus? - from News-Medical.Net." 2010. January 7th 2014 <http://www.news-medical.net/health/Thalamus-What-is-the-Thalamus.aspx
"Thalamic Syndrome - WebMD." 2007. April 22nd. 2014 <http://www.webmd.com/brain/thalamic-syndrome-dejerine-roussy>
"Thalamus - The Brain Made Simple." 2011. February 3rd 2014 <http://brainmadesimple.com/thalamus.html>
SAFE Resources | Reading Room | "Thalamic Pain Syndrome"." 2002. 29 Apr. 2014 <http://www.strokesafe.org/resources/thalamic_pain_syndrome.html>
Sally Robertson. "Thalamus - What is the Thalamus? - from News-Medical.Net." 2010. January 7th 2014 <http://www.news-medical.net/health/Thalamus-What-is-the-Thalamus.aspx
"Thalamic Syndrome - WebMD." 2007. April 22nd. 2014 <http://www.webmd.com/brain/thalamic-syndrome-dejerine-roussy>
"Thalamus - The Brain Made Simple." 2011. February 3rd 2014 <http://brainmadesimple.com/thalamus.html>