Thalamic reticular nucleus in the thalamocortical loop
Abstract
Dynamic binding of different brain areas is critical for various cognitive functions. The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is a GABAergic nucleus that constrains information flow through thalamocortical loop by providing inhibitory innervation to the thalamus. In this review, I summarize anatomical and single-cell-level physiological studies of the rodent TRN. Diversity and heterogeneity of TRN neurons in terms of axonal innervation, molecular expression, and physiological characteristics are described. I also outline thalamocortical and cortico-cortical connections with emphasis on interaction with the TRN. In summary, it is proposed that functional connectivity among brain regions are modulated with gating of transthalamic information flow by the TRN.
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- Authors
- Takata, N.
- Affiliations
- Keio University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Takata, Norio
- ORCID
- Takata, Norio
- Venue
- Neuroscience Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-07
- Volume
- 156
- Pages
- 32-40
- ISSN
- 0168-0102 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2994076584
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 0.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JP 16H01620, JP 18H04952, JP 19K06944)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Neurological disorders and treatments
- Keywords
- thalamic reticular nucleus, thalamocortical loop, GABAergic inhibition, neuronal heterogeneity, molecular expression, corticocortical connections, functional connectivity, rodent brain
- MeSH terms
- Axons, Neurons, Thalamic Nuclei, Thalamus
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