Ipsilateral somatosensory tongue representation within the lateral subdivision of the nucleus ventralis posteromedialis parvocellularis of the cat thalamus.

Neurons in the lateral subdivision of nucleus ventralis posteromedialis parvocellularis (VPMpcl) were studied in urethanchloralose anesthetized cats. The great majority of units responded to innocuous mechanical stimulation of the ipsilateral tongue, and the rest were responsive to innocuous mechanical stimulation of intraoral structures outside the tongue. No units responded to gustatory stimulation. These findings support the idea that VPMpcl receives ipsilateral trigeminal somatosensory input rather than gustatory input.