The conduction pathway originates in the opposite side of the spinal trigeminal nucleus (pain and temperature) and trigeminal sensory main nucleus (pressure, touch, elongation and proprioception).
During its progression upwards through the medulla oblongata, pons and mesencephalon, the tractus trigemino-thalamicus lateralis is sometimes referred to as the trigeminal limbic.
The course ends in several different thalamus nuclei.