Quantitative analysis of the positions and numbers of retrogradely labeled neurons and anterogradely labeled terminal fields reveal that: 1) ventral posterior lateral (VPL), ventral posterior inferior (VPI), and central lateral (CL), combined, receive 87% of spinothalamic inputs originating from the cervical enlargement; 2) these three nuclei contain over 91% of all thalamocortical neurons projecting to hSI that are likely to receive STT input; and 3) these putatively contacted neurons account for less than 24% of all thalamic projections to hSI.
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