[The dorsomedial envelope in the human thalamus. A pigment architectonic study]

The shape and extension of the dorsomedial envelope (HASSLER 1959) in the human thalamus was examined in 800 micron thick slices stained with aldehyde-fuchsin. By means of selective staining of intracellular lipofuscin granules the pigment architecture of these grisea can be clearly depicted. The dorsomedial envelope consists of the nucleus cucullaris and the nucleus parataenialis. It covers the ventricular surface of the territorium mediale with an almost unbroken cellular layer stretching caudally as far as the nucleus pulvinaris superficialis. The strongly pigmented nucleus cucullaris can be seen as the main nucleus of this part of the envelope. It can be divided into three areas: nucleus cucullaris oralis, interpolaris, and caudalis.