One source of input to the thalamic reticular nucleus is the cerebral cortex, which was found to consist of 52 different areas by Korbinian Brodmann.
Korbinian Brodmann (17 November 1868  22 August 1918) was a German neurologist who became famous for mapping the cerebral cortex and defining 52 distinct regions, known as Brodmann areas, based on their cytoarchitectonic (histological) characteristics. The thalamic reticular nucleus receives input from the cerebral cortex and dorsal thalamic nuclei. 
