Axons of the ascending medial lemniscus pathway (second order neurons) have now terminated by synapsing on the cell bodies ot third order neurons in the nucleus ventralis posterolateralis (VPL) Third order neurons in the lateral part of this nucleus (red) relay information from the lower part of the body; neurons in the more medial part of the nucleus (blue) relay information from the upper part of the body. Both send axons laterally to enter the internal capsule.