We recently identified a focus of potent vagal afferent activation in the lateral part of the thalamic parafascicular nucleus (Pf) that is earlier and more prominent than the vagal activation in the adjacent gustatory / visceral relay nucleus (the basal ventromedial nucleus, or VMb; Ito & Craig SfN 2003). To elucidate the forebrain circuitry activated by this Pf vagal focus, we investigated its efferent projections using anterograde fluorescent dextrans. Prior studies of Pf projections did not include this portion. In 5 barbiturate-anesthetized monkeys, evoked potentials were mapped in the right thalamus from stimulation of the left cervical vagus nerve, and iontophoretic tracer injections were made at the response focus. Survival time was 4 weeks. The injection sites were all located in the ventrolateral part of caudal Pf, lateral to the habenulo-interpeduncular tract, medial to VMb, and ventromedial to the centre median. Labeled terminals were found in the caudate nucleus (Cd) in all cases. Terminal patc...