The Connections of the Prefrontal Cortex and Thalamus and Plasticity Within This Circuitry

Abstract The cortex and the thalamus are anatomically interconnected, sharing a common developmental trajectory. Cortico-thalamocortical interactions between different subdivisions of the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and distinct parts of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are essential in cognition. The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) and nucleus reuniens (NRe) are also vital for cognitive processes and connect with the PFC. The cortico-thalamocortical connections of the MD, ATN and NRe, along with other thalamic nuclei (e.g., the pulvinar, intralaminar, and motor thalamic nuclei, not covered in this chapter) will each uniquely influence the cortex, including with neural oscillatory activity in relation to how the cortex governs cognitive processes. Each thalamic nucleus also receives distinct potent subcortical glutamate, GABAergic, and neuromodulator inputs that will additionally influence oscillatory patterns within the cortex. Given that the connectivity of these thalamic nuclei is heterogeneous but has some overlap in the PFC, further studies need to identify how these cortico-thalamocortical neural networks together support cognitive processes and neuroplasticity. In turn, this knowledge may offer avenues to develop effective treatment strategies to improve the debilitating cognitive deficits observed in various neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases that uniquely affect the MD, ATN, NRe, and other thalamic nuclei and their cortico-thalamocortical neural networks.