Table 1 Vascular territories of the thalamus

Anterolateral territory

from tuberothalamic artery arising from posterior communicating artery

Anterior thalamic nuclei group (AM, AV, AD)

ventral amygdalo-fugal pathway

ventral IML

intralaminar nuclei (CL, CM, Pf)

VA, RN

rostral VL, ventral pole of MD

mamillothalamic tract

Neuropsychological deficits:

Decreased arousal, disorientation, mood disorders, personality changes, apathy, executive and drive impairment, perseverative behavior

if left-sided: Thalamic aphasia, verbal short-term and visual memory impairment, amnesic syndrome, acalculia

if right-sided: Hemi-spatial neglect, visuo-spatial processing deficits, executive cognitive tasks, non-verbal information processing

memory impairment, amnestic syndrome

Anteromedian territory [22]

varying arterial supply

MD

intralaminar nuclei (CL, CM, Pf)

IML

Hemiparesis, sensory loss, hemiataxia

Neuropsychological deficits, memory impairment with severe anterograde amnesia, aphasia, agnosia and neglect, apraxia, executive dysfunction

Inferomedial territory

from paramedian artery

arising from pre-communicating P1-Segment (PCA)

MD

posteromedial VL

IML

intralaminar nuclei (CL, CM, Pf)

ventromedial pulvinar and LD

mesencephalon (riMLF)

Acute: Sudden disturbance of vigilance; coma

Chronic: “Thalamic dementia” with cognitive deficits, decreased arousal, impaired learning, memory deficits, apraxia, temporal disorientation,

altered personality with apathy, mutism and lethargy, aggression, and agitation

if left-sided: Thalamic aphasia

if right-sided: Visuospatial processing deficits

Motor and/or sensory hemi-syndrome, oculomotor nerve palsy, vertical gaze palsy

Central territory [22]

varying arterial supply

VPL

intralaminar nuclei (CL, CM, Pf)

Sensory loss, hemiparesis, ataxia

Decreased vigilance, anterograde amnesia, short-term memory impairment

Inferolateral territory

from thalamogeniculate artery arising from P2-Segment (PCA)

Ventroposterior complex (VPM, VPL, and VPI)

VL

MGB

Pulvinar, LD

Sensory loss of all modalities, hemiparesis (often transient†), hemiataxia, predominantly on the right: Postlesion thalamic pain syndrome (Déjérine-Roussy-Syndrome)

Hearing impairment

Behavioral changes

Lateral and medial posterior territory

from lateral and medial branches of the posterior choroidal artery arising from P2-segment (PCA)

Lateral: LGB, LD, LP, inferolateral parts of pulvinar, VPL, VL

Medial: MGB, posterior parts of CM and CL, pulvinar

Dystonic posture, ataxic hemiparesis and sensory loss, visual field loss (hemi- or quadrant-anopia), neuropsychological features

Sensory loss, hemiparesis, aphasia, memory impairment, hand tremor