The ventral posterior nucleus receives neuronal input from the medial lemniscus, spinal lemniscus, spinothalamic tracts, and trigeminothalamic tract.

Together with the anterior, or ventral spinothalamic tract, the lateral spinothalamic tract is sometimes termed the secondary sensory fasciculus or spinal lemniscus.

These fibers will ascend through the medulla and through the pons and midbrain as the spinal lemniscus until synapsing in the Ventroposteriorlateral (VPL) nucleus of the thalamus.