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Medical Definition of Nucleus subthalamicus
1. A circumscript nucleus, shaped like a biconvex lens, located in the ventral part of the subthalamus on the dorsal surface of the peduncular part of the internal capsule immediately rostral to the substantia nigra. The nucleus receives a massive topographic projection from the lateral segment of the globus pallidus, and a somatopically organised projection from the ipsilateral motor cortex; a smaller bundle of afferents from the centromedian nucleus of the thalamus terminate in the rostral part of the nucleus The subthalamic nucleus projects to both pallidal segments, to the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra, and in a small way to the ipsilateral pedunculopontine nucleus. Synonym: nucleus subthalamicus, corpus luysi, Luys' body, nucleus of Luys. (05 Mar 2000)