[1] The term "ventral posteromedial nucleus" was introduced by Le Gros Clark in 1930.

[2][3] The VPM receives second-order general somatic afferent fibers from the ventral trigeminal tract and the dorsal trigeminal tract which convey general somatic sensory information from the face and oral cavity (including touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and propriception).

Proprioceptive synapses are situated anteriorly, ones mediating touch in the middle, and nociceptive ones posteriorly.

The VPM receives second-order taste special visceral afferents from the solitary nucleus.

[9][10] However, later authors have retained the VPMpc abbreviation, meaning the parvicellular part of the VPM.