part of part of Homo sapiens ventral thalamus subthalamic nucleus zona incerta MESH:D065820 FMA:62038 EMAPA:35930 The zona incerta is a horizontally elongated region of gray matter cells in the subthalamus below the thalamus. Its connections project extensively over the brain from the cerebral cortex down into the spinal cord. Its function is unknown though several have been proposed related to 'limbic-motor integration' such as controlling visceral activity and pain; gating sensory input and synchronizing cortical and subcortical brain rhythms. Its dysfunction may play a role in central pain syndrome. It is also been identified as a promising deep brain stimulation therapy target for treating Parkinsons Disease. Its existence was first described by Auguste Forel in 1877 as a 'region of which nothing certain can be said'. A hundred and thirty years later in 2007, Nadia Urbain and Martin Deschênes of Université Laval noted that the 'zona incerta is among the least studied regions of the brain; its name does not even appear in the index of many textbooks. ' [WP,unvetted]. neuronames:438 nucleus of the zona incerta BAMS:ZI zona incerta proper DHBA:10463 HBA:4507 BM:Die-VTh-ZI UBERON:0001907 MA:0000878 Wikipedia:Zona_incerta BTO:0003146 MBA:797 SCTID:369186007 lateral preoptic nucleus retrochiasmatic area lateral hypothalamic area nucleus of ventral thalamus