1. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
► Sensory Cranial Nerves
Sensory cranial nerves arise from groups of cells
outside of the brain. These sensory nerves are:
1. The olfactory (first cranial—sensory only)
2. The optic (second cranial—sensory only)
3. The trigeminal (fifth cranial—motor and sensory)
4. The facial (seventh cranial—motor and sensory)
5. The acoustic (eighth cranial—sensory only)
6. The glossopharyngeal (ninth cranial—motor and
sensory)
7. The vagus (tenth cranial—motor and sensory)

2. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
► The Eighth Cranial Nerve
It is really more than an “acoustic” nerve. It also
transmits peripheral information to the brain
regarding balance.
Balance performance is the vestibular portion of
the labyrinth. Remember, the labyrinth includes
the semi-circular canals as well as the cochlea
with both efferent and afferent information
travelling through the eighth nerve.

3. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►The Thalamus
It is about the size of a walnut and located in
the mid-brain. It receives all peripheral
sensory information except for olfaction
(smell). It has five basic functions.

4. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
► The Thalamus
The five basic functions of the thalamus are:
1. Relaying and processing all sensory input for conscious
awareness (except olfactory/smell).
2. Perception of crude aspects of pain, temperature, and
touch sensations.
3. Imparting pleasantness or noxiousness to sensations.
4. Maintaining brain activity which influence arousal,
attention, and sleep-wake cycles.
5. Relay/integration station for input from the brain to the
motor cortex.

5. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►The Hypothalamus
It is located toward the posterior portion of
the thalamus. It is a portion of the brain
which provides an integration of endocrine
function and nervous system function.
It performs five basic integration functions.

6. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
► The Hypothalamus
It’s five basic integration functions regulate:
1. Carbohydrate and fat metabolism and
reabsorption of water by the kidneys.
2. /mediate expressions of emotional behavior.
3. States of sleep, wakefulness, and
consciousness.
4. Blood flow to regulate body temperature.
5. Food intake.

7. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Sensory reaction by the cerebellum
Sensory activity of the cerebellum are
usually found with an ipsilateral response by
the respective hemisphere.
Motor control activity is usually revealed by
a contralateral response of the respective
hemisphere.

8. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Sensory dominance of the cerebellum
Ninety percent of humans are left
hemisphere dominant i.e. most aspects of
language, handedness, calculation and
memory.

9. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Sensory dominance of the cerebellum
The right hemisphere perceives tactual,
visual, and auditory information of which
eighty percent of the received information
transmits to the left hemisphere.
This hemisphere is also instrumental in
artistic creativity.

10. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Multiple Sclerosis
The afferent and efferent information
received by the cerebellum through the
peripheral sensory nuclei and the thalamus
has been compromised (lesion). The triad
of symptoms include:
1. Intension tremor, 2. Scanning/slurred speech, 3.
Nystagmus compromise.

11. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Proprioception
This is the sensory combined with
motor/muscle control to assist with body
position, balance, and changes in
equilibrium especially during locomotion
(walking/running/moving).
The sensory receptors originate within the
muscles tendons, joints, and the vestibular
apparatus of the inner ear.

12. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
►Sensory reaction by the cerebellum
Slurred speech, beating eyes, poor gait,
complaints of dizziness are common
symptoms revealed in our assessment of
adult patient/clients.
We will become more aware of hearing
pathologies which may also contribute to
these described symptoms.

13. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
► Sensory storage by the brain
The brain has been assigned forty-seven
areas regarding locations of brain storage
activity. Hearing & Speech primarily
reside in five of these areas. They are:
1. #44 & #45 for speech aka Broca’s Area.
2. #41 & #42 and #22 for hearing and auditory
sensation aka Wernicke’s area.

14. The Thalamus & Sensory Activities
We will listen to various stimuli at
various intensity levels.
Create a sound stimulus diary
comparing the stimulus with
psychoacoustic response and
psychological mood responses.