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Diencephalon
 
 
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The diencephalon (or interbrain) is the region of the brain
Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate, and most invertebrate, animals. Some primitive animals such as cnidarian and echinoderm have a decentralized nervous system without a brain, while sponges lack any nervous system at all....
 that includes the thalamus
Thalamus

The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
, hypothalamus
Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ....
, epithalamus
Epithalamus

The epithalamus is a Dorsum posterior segment of the diencephalon which includes the habenula, the stria medullaris and the pineal body. Its function is the connection between the limbic system to other parts of the brain....
, prethalamus
Prethalamus

The prethalamus or subthalamus is part of the diencephalon and therefore part of the brain.Developmental biologist prefer the term prethalamus, as it can be genetically defined , whereas anatomists often use the expression subthalamus....
 or subthalamus
Subthalamus

The subthalamus is a part of the diencephalon. ...
 and pretectum
Pretectum

The pretectum, also known as the pretectal area, is a region of neurons found between the thalamus and midbrain. It receives binocular vision Sensory system input from Ganglion cell of the eyes, and is the region responsible for maintaining the pupillary light reflex....
. The diencephalon is located at the midline of the brain, above the mesencephalon
Mesencephalon

In biological anatomy, the mesencephalon comprises the tectum , tegmentum, the ventricular mesocoelia , and the cerebral peduncles, as well as several nuclei and fasciculi....
 of the brain stem
Brain stem

The brain stem is the lower part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord. The brain stem provides the main motor and sensory innervation to the face and neck via the cranial nerves....
. The diencephalon contains the zona limitans intrathalamica
Zona limitans intrathalamica

The zona limitans intrathalamica is a compartment and primary developmental boundary in the vertebrate forebrain that serves as a signaling center and a restrictive border between the thalamus and the prethalamus ....
 as morphological boundary and signalling center between the prethalamus and the thalamus.


diencephalon is the part of the forebrain that contains such important structures as the thalamus
Thalamus

The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
, hypothalamus
Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ....
 and the posterior portion of the pituitary gland
Pituitary gland

The pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g . It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a Dura mater fold ....
.






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Encyclopedia


The diencephalon (or interbrain) is the region of the brain
Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate, and most invertebrate, animals. Some primitive animals such as cnidarian and echinoderm have a decentralized nervous system without a brain, while sponges lack any nervous system at all....
 that includes the thalamus
Thalamus

The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
, hypothalamus
Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ....
, epithalamus
Epithalamus

The epithalamus is a Dorsum posterior segment of the diencephalon which includes the habenula, the stria medullaris and the pineal body. Its function is the connection between the limbic system to other parts of the brain....
, prethalamus
Prethalamus

The prethalamus or subthalamus is part of the diencephalon and therefore part of the brain.Developmental biologist prefer the term prethalamus, as it can be genetically defined , whereas anatomists often use the expression subthalamus....
 or subthalamus
Subthalamus

The subthalamus is a part of the diencephalon. ...
 and pretectum
Pretectum

The pretectum, also known as the pretectal area, is a region of neurons found between the thalamus and midbrain. It receives binocular vision Sensory system input from Ganglion cell of the eyes, and is the region responsible for maintaining the pupillary light reflex....
. The diencephalon is located at the midline of the brain, above the mesencephalon
Mesencephalon

In biological anatomy, the mesencephalon comprises the tectum , tegmentum, the ventricular mesocoelia , and the cerebral peduncles, as well as several nuclei and fasciculi....
 of the brain stem
Brain stem

The brain stem is the lower part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord. The brain stem provides the main motor and sensory innervation to the face and neck via the cranial nerves....
. The diencephalon contains the zona limitans intrathalamica
Zona limitans intrathalamica

The zona limitans intrathalamica is a compartment and primary developmental boundary in the vertebrate forebrain that serves as a signaling center and a restrictive border between the thalamus and the prethalamus ....
 as morphological boundary and signalling center between the prethalamus and the thalamus.

Organization

  • diencephalon
    • mid-diencephalic territory
      • prethalamus
        Prethalamus

        The prethalamus or subthalamus is part of the diencephalon and therefore part of the brain.Developmental biologist prefer the term prethalamus, as it can be genetically defined , whereas anatomists often use the expression subthalamus....
      • zona limitans intrathalamica
        Zona limitans intrathalamica

        The zona limitans intrathalamica is a compartment and primary developmental boundary in the vertebrate forebrain that serves as a signaling center and a restrictive border between the thalamus and the prethalamus ....
      • thalamus
        Thalamus

        The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
    • hypothalamus
      Hypothalamus

      The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ....
    • epithalamus
      Epithalamus

      The epithalamus is a Dorsum posterior segment of the diencephalon which includes the habenula, the stria medullaris and the pineal body. Its function is the connection between the limbic system to other parts of the brain....
    • pretectum
      Pretectum

      The pretectum, also known as the pretectal area, is a region of neurons found between the thalamus and midbrain. It receives binocular vision Sensory system input from Ganglion cell of the eyes, and is the region responsible for maintaining the pupillary light reflex....


Roles

The diencephalon is the part of the forebrain that contains such important structures as the thalamus
Thalamus

The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
, hypothalamus
Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ....
 and the posterior portion of the pituitary gland
Pituitary gland

The pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g . It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a Dura mater fold ....
. The hypothalamus performs numerous vital functions, most of which relate directly or indirectly to the regulation of visceral activities by way of other brain regions and the autonomic nervous system.

See also

  • List of regions in the human brain
    List of regions in the human brain

    anatomy regions of the brain are listed vertically, following hierarchies that are standard in neuroanatomy. Physiology, nervous system#vertebrate nervous systems and Embryology regions are listed horizontally in parentheses where appropriate....


External links