The thalamus
Thalamus · thalamus
The brain's relay station, passing nearly every sense up to the cortex.
What it does
The thalamus is a pair of egg-shaped masses in the centre of the brain. Signals from your eyes, ears, skin and body pass through it on their way to the cortex, where it filters and directs them. It also helps control sleep, wakefulness and attention.
Surprising fact
Every sense except smell is routed through the thalamus before it reaches the cortex.
Why it matters
Because it sits at the crossroads of so many pathways, a small stroke in the thalamus can cause unexpected problems such as numbness, pain or changes in alertness.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.