The thalamic nucleus reuniens orchestrates prefrontal-hippocampal synchrony in memory, emotion, and disease

Decades of literature point to a critical role for prefrontal-hippocampal interactions in emotion and memory. Recent studies in both rodents and humans have revealed that these interactions are coordinated by the midline thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE), a brain region that mediates bidirectional communication between the hippocampus (HPC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Here, we aimed to review studies that implicate the RE in memory, emotion, and executive function across a range of behavioral tasks. We also discuss the role the RE may play in the maladaptive cognitive and emotional processes associated with neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. We conclude that the RE plays a critical role in coordinating oscillations in the mPFC-HPC network to support the flexible and context-dependent expression of memory and emotion.