The nucleus reuniens of the thalamus sits at the nexus of a hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex circuit enabling memory and behavior.

The nucleus reuniens of the thalamus (RE) is a key component of an extensive network of hippocampal and cortical structures and is a fundamental substrate for cognition. A common misconception is that RE is a simple relay structure. Instead, a better conceptualization is that RE is a critical component of a canonical higher-order cortico-thalamo-cortical circuit that supports communication between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus (HC). RE dysfunction is implicated in several clinical disorders including, but not limited to Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Here, we review key anatomical and physiological features of the RE based primarily on studies in rodents. We present a conceptual model of RE circuitry within the mPFC-RE-HC system and speculate on the computations RE enables. We review the rapidly growing literature demonstrating that RE is critical to, and its neurons represent, aspects of behavioral tasks that place demands on memory focusing on its role in navigation, spatial working memory, the temporal organization of memory, and executive functions.

Neurotoxic lesions of the thalamic reuniens or mediodorsal nucleus in rats affect non-mnemonic aspects of watermaze learning.

Rats with bilateral neurotoxic reuniens (RE), mediodorsal (MD), hippocampal (HIPP) or sham (SH) lesions were tested in a standard watermaze task, together with unoperated rats. RE-rats and SH-controls readily learned to swim directly to a hidden platform. In contrast, MD-rats displayed a transient deficit characterized initially by thigmotaxis. Like in previous studies, HIPP-rats had long latencies throughout training and displayed more random swims than the other groups. In a memory probe test with the platform removed, SH- and RE-rats approached the correct location relatively directly but, whereas SH-controls persistently searched in the training quadrant, RE-rats switched to searching all over the pool. The MD-group swam in loops to the platform, but then displayed persistent searching in the training quadrant. The HIPP-group performed at chance. These distinct patterns indicate that, although their search strategies were different, RE- and MD-rats had acquired sufficient knowledge about the platform location and could recall information in the probe test. All groups performed well in a subsequent cue test with a visible platform, with RE-rats initially escaping faster than the SH- and HIPP-groups, and MD-rats improving from an initially poorer level of performance to control level. This indicates that there were no sensorimotor or motivational deficits associated with any of the lesions. In conclusion, while the RE and MD nuclei seem not to be critical for the learning and memory of a standard watermaze task, they may contribute to non-mnemonic strategy shifting when animals are challenged in ways that do not occur during training.