[Primary structural moduli of the dorsal thalamic nuclei and motor cortex in man]

The aim of this work was to study the primary structural modular organization of neurons in dorsal thalamic nuclei (ventral anterior, ventral lateral, anterior medial, anterior ventral, anterior dorsal, medial, nucleus reticularis) and motor cortex (areas 4 and 6) in man using the methods of Nissl, Kluver-Barrera and Golgi silver nitrate impregnation. It was shown that in both dorsal thalamic nuclei and motor cortex neurons had regular organization--they were forming small groups or short chains and meet specific criteria. These neuronal associations, formed single structural units, that were called primary structural moduli. Comparison of primary structural moduli found in dorsal thalamic nuclei and motor cortex has demonstrated the identity of their organizational principle. The differences were only in the cells, that formed primary structural moduli. Thus, in human dorsal thalamic nuclei and motor cortex two principles of neuronal organization into primary structural moduli were detected--group and chain.