The nucleus mammillaris lateralis is the smaller of the two wart body nuclei, such a pair of hay nuclei. and one on the left. page!
The nucleus receives connections from the hippocampus complex via fornix postcommissurale, transmits signals to the anterior thalamus nucleus via the tractus mammillo-thalamicus and has round-trip connection with the nucleus tegmentalis dorsalis. From the anterior thalamus nucleus, information is passed on to the retrosplenial part of the cinguli gyrus.
The nucleus mammillaris lateralis with its connections is part of the network that controls the orientation of the head and eye movements during movement in, and examination of, the surrounding world. The coupling system is probably also responsible for the spatial working memory required for the movement to be meaningful.
Blair, H.T., Cho, J. and Sharp, P.E. 1999, Role of the Lateral Mammillary Nucleus in the Rat Head Direction Circuit: A Combined Single Unit Recording and Lesion Study. Neuron, 22, 200