You can find some proof for more functional differences amongst medial and lateral thalamic pathways. Lesions with the ventrocaudal thalamus and somatosensory cortex create extended-lasting deficits while in the sensory components of pain which can be very similar to those produced by lesions from the anterolateral spinal twine pathway. https://www.proleviate.com/post/block-pain-receptors-with-conolidine