pulvinar

The pulvinar is a large nuclear complex in the posterior thalamus. It consists of several nuclei that form the pulvinar division and lie behind the lateral geniculate nucleus. The name derives from Latin pulvinus, meaning cushion or pillow.

The pulvinar is subdivided into subdivisions, commonly anterior, medial, lateral, and inferior parts (with species variation). It receives inputs from the retina and superior colliculus and sends outputs to widespread cortical regions, especially occipital, parietal, and temporal cortices. Through these connections it participates in the extrageniculate visual pathway and in coordinating activity across the cortex during visual processing.

The pulvinar is implicated in visual attention, saliency detection, and the integration of sensory information across cortical areas. It is thought to modulate thalamocortical transmission and synchronize distant cortical regions during attention-demanding tasks. Its role is more modulatory than simply relaying signals.

Damage to the pulvinar can result in attentional deficits or visual neglect. Functional imaging shows pulvinar involvement in attention and perception tasks, and abnormal pulvinar activity has been observed in certain neurological and psychiatric conditions.

The pulvinar is well developed in primates and varies among mammals, reflecting its role in advanced visual processing and attention.