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How does the thalamus map temperature sensations from different body areas?

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thermoreception in polar bears — Thermoreception Warm-blooded animals, such as polar bears, maintain stable body temperatures and adapt to substantial geographic and seasonal temperature fluctuations. Thermal adaptation is supported by the function of sensory structures called thermoreceptors.

The thalamus maps temperature sensations through a compact set of specialized neurons organized in a three-dimensional, topographic map of the body. These neurons receive input via the lateral spinothalamic tract, which carries thermoreceptive information from the spinal cord.1

Within this thalamic structure, the neurons maintain selective thermoreceptive properties, allowing for the precise localization of thermal stimuli. This topographic organization is evidenced during neurosurgical procedures; when microelectrodes are positioned inferior and posterior to the main somatosensory nucleus, microstimulation triggers patient reports of discrete warming or cooling sensations localized to specific body areas. Once processed, these thermoreceptive-specific neurons relay the information to a dedicated site in the cerebral cortex, specifically the superior margin of the posterior insular cortex, which corresponds to the contralateral side of the body.1