[Neuronal organization of human ventral anterior and ventral lateral thalamic nuclei]

Neuronal composition was studied in two human thalamic nuclei--nucleus ventralis anterior and nucleus ventralis lateralis using serial horizontal and frontal sections stained using Kluver-Barrera and Golgi silver impregnation methods. It was found that the number of neuronal types, composing the nuclei (equal to eight) is greater than previously reported. Proposed neuronal classification based on the characteristics of their processes, in comparison with a similar study performed in dogs (pups) permitted to distinguish two types of neurons--long-axon and short-axon. Long-axon neurons are subdivided into sparsely-branched (reticular and short-dendritic) and densely-branched (arborescent, giant and medium bush-like, penicillar varieties). Short-axon neuronal type includes smooth-dendritic and "shaggy" cells.