Final answer:
Association cortices receive direct information from the thalamus, which relays input from various brain structures, including the basal nuclei such as the caudate and putamen, to the cerebral cortex.
Step-by-step explanation:
Association cortices receive information directly from the thalamus and also have connections that allow for communication with the motor and premotor cortex. However, the primary direct input to the association cortices is from the thalamus. The basal nuclei, which include the caudate and putamen, relay their output to the cerebral cortex through the thalamus after processing information from the cortex. The basal nuclei have two pathways, the direct pathway, which causes the disinhibition of the thalamus, and the indirect pathway, which reinforces the normal inhibition of the thalamus.
The correct answer to the question is C. Thalamus.