The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing
The thalamus, centrally located in the forebrain, has traditionally been recognized as a relay station for sensory and motor signals. Recent research has challenged this perspective by revealing previously unrecognized functions, such as regulating cortical excitability, maintaining the balance betw...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Brain Research Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002448 |
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| author | Bin A. Wang Shumei Li Michael M. Halassa Burkhard Pleger |
| author_facet | Bin A. Wang Shumei Li Michael M. Halassa Burkhard Pleger |
| author_sort | Bin A. Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The thalamus, centrally located in the forebrain, has traditionally been recognized as a relay station for sensory and motor signals. Recent research has challenged this perspective by revealing previously unrecognized functions, such as regulating cortical excitability, maintaining the balance between excitation and inhibition, and modulating effective connectivity. These non-relay functions stem from genuine thalamic processing of a wide range of inputs that lead to contextual signals that play a role in advanced cognitive abilities underpinning learning, attention, and executive functions. Particularly, associative thalamic structures, such as the mediodorsal thalamus and pulvinar which receive driving inputs from the cortex and participate in transthalamic cortico- cortical loop, play a crucial role in enhancing information processing efficiency for higher cognitive functions. This paper reviews recent advances in thalamic research, with a focus on the pulvinar and mediodorsal thalamus and their integrative role in cognitive processing. We discuss the computational principles of these transthalamic interactions revealed by the neural network models. We additionally summarize recent evidence on how thalamic dysfunctions contribute to mental disorders, using schizophrenia as a key example, and highlight the potential of targeting the associative thalamus for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This review combines findings from both animal models and human studies, providing a comprehensive overview of the diverse contributions of the thalamus to cognition and its potential to revolutionize mental health treatment through a multidisciplinary perspective. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-661bbf991f9746a7abe960d2976d38ec |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1873-2747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Research Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-661bbf991f9746a7abe960d2976d38ec2025-08-20T03:42:14ZengElsevierBrain Research Bulletin1873-27472025-09-0122911143210.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111432The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processingBin A. Wang0Shumei Li1Michael M. Halassa2Burkhard Pleger3School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Brain Cognition and Educational Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Corresponding author.Department of Medical Imaging, The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USADepartment of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Collaborative Research Centre 874 ''Integration and Representation of Sensory Processes'', Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyThe thalamus, centrally located in the forebrain, has traditionally been recognized as a relay station for sensory and motor signals. Recent research has challenged this perspective by revealing previously unrecognized functions, such as regulating cortical excitability, maintaining the balance between excitation and inhibition, and modulating effective connectivity. These non-relay functions stem from genuine thalamic processing of a wide range of inputs that lead to contextual signals that play a role in advanced cognitive abilities underpinning learning, attention, and executive functions. Particularly, associative thalamic structures, such as the mediodorsal thalamus and pulvinar which receive driving inputs from the cortex and participate in transthalamic cortico- cortical loop, play a crucial role in enhancing information processing efficiency for higher cognitive functions. This paper reviews recent advances in thalamic research, with a focus on the pulvinar and mediodorsal thalamus and their integrative role in cognitive processing. We discuss the computational principles of these transthalamic interactions revealed by the neural network models. We additionally summarize recent evidence on how thalamic dysfunctions contribute to mental disorders, using schizophrenia as a key example, and highlight the potential of targeting the associative thalamus for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This review combines findings from both animal models and human studies, providing a comprehensive overview of the diverse contributions of the thalamus to cognition and its potential to revolutionize mental health treatment through a multidisciplinary perspective.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002448Associative thalamusMediodorsal thalamusPulvinarTransthalamic pathwayComputational modelsPsychiatry |
| spellingShingle | Bin A. Wang Shumei Li Michael M. Halassa Burkhard Pleger The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing Brain Research Bulletin Associative thalamus Mediodorsal thalamus Pulvinar Transthalamic pathway Computational models Psychiatry |
| title | The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| title_full | The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| title_fullStr | The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| title_full_unstemmed | The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| title_short | The unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| title_sort | unique role of the associative thalamus in cognitive processing |
| topic | Associative thalamus Mediodorsal thalamus Pulvinar Transthalamic pathway Computational models Psychiatry |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923025002448 |
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