The ventrobasal complex of the thalamus has the two major divisions previously described:
VPL (somatosensory information from the body)
VPM (somatosensory information from the face)
Both are somatotopically organized.
Thalamic neurons have adaption properties (SA vs RA) like those of peripheral neurons, but the RFs are larger than those of dorsal root ganglion cells and are commonly concentric, with a central excitatory area and a surrounding inhibitory area.