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Diencephalon
Three central brain structures which emerge from the diencephalon, brain seen in sagittal section.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	diencephalon
MeSH	D004027
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_1503
TA98	A14.1.03.007 A14.1.08.001
TA2	5661
TH	H3.11.03.5.00001
FMA	62001
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy[edit on Wikidata]

The diencephalon ("interbrain") is the region of the embryonic vertebrate neural tube that gives rise to posterior forebrain structures. In development, the forebrain develops from the prosencephalon, the most anterior vesicle of the neural tube that later forms both the diencephalon and the telencephalon. In adults, the diencephalon appears at the upper end of the brain stem, situated between the cerebrum and the brain stem. It is made up of four distinct components: the thalamus, the subthalamus, the hypothalamus, and the epithalamus.

Structure

• diencephalon
  • mid-diencephalic territory
    • prethalamus
    • zona limitans intrathalamica
    • thalamus
  • hypothalamus
  • epithalamus
  • pineal gland
  • metathalamus

Attachments

The Optic Nerve (CNII) attaches to the diencephalon. The Optic Nerve is a sensory (afferent) nerve responsible for vision; it runs from the eye through the optic canal in the skull and attaches to the diencephalon. The retina itself is derived from the optic cup, a part of the embryonic diencephalon.

Function

The diencephalon is the region of the embryonic vertebrate neural tube that gives rise to posterior forebrain structures including the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior portion of the pituitary gland, and pineal gland. The hypothalamus performs numerous vital functions, most of which relating directly or indirectly to the regulation of visceral activities by way of other brain regions and the autonomic nervous system.

Additional images

• Diagram depicting the main subdivisions of the embryonic vertebrate brain. These regions will later differentiate into forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain structures.
• Reconstruction of peripheral nerves of a human embryo of 10.2 mm. (Label for Diencephalon is at left.)

See also

• List of regions in the human brain

References

1. Jacobson & Marcus (2008). Neuroanatomy for the Neuroscientist. Springer. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-387-70970-3.

External links

• Stained brain slice images which include the "diencephalon" at the BrainMaps project
• NIF Search - Diencephalon via the Neuroscience Information Framework

  v t e Nervous system
  Central nervous system	Meninges Spinal cord Brain Hindbrain Medulla Pons Cerebellum Midbrain Forebrain Diencephalon Retina Optic nerve Cerebrum Limbic system
  Peripheral nervous system	Somatic Sensory nerve Motor nerve Cranial nerves Spinal nerve Autonomic Sympathetic Parasympathetic Enteric

  v t e Anatomy of the diencephalon of the human brain
  Epithalamus	Surface Pineal gland Habenula Habenular trigone Habenular commissure Grey matter Pretectal area Habenular nuclei Subcommissural organ
  Thalamus	Surface Stria medullaris Thalamic reticular nucleus Taenia thalami Grey matter/ nuclei paired: AN Ventral VA/VL VP/VPM/VPL Lateral LD LP Pulvinar nuclei Metathalamus MG LG P cell M cell K cell midline: MD Intralaminar Centromedian Midline nuclear group Interthalamic adhesion White matter Mammillothalamic tract Pallidothalamic tracts Ansa lenticularis Lenticular fasciculus Thalamic fasciculus DCML Medial lemniscus Trigeminal lemniscus Spinothalamic tract Lateral lemniscus Dentatothalamic tract Acoustic radiation Optic radiation Subthalamic fasciculus Ventral trigeminal tract Medullary laminae
  Hypothalamus	Surface Median eminence/Tuber cinereum Mammillary body Infundibulum Grey matter Autonomic zones Anterior (parasympathetic/heat loss) Posterior (sympathetic/heat conservation) Endocrine posterior pituitary: Paraventricular Magnocellular neurosecretory cell Parvocellular neurosecretory cell Supraoptic oxytocin/vasopressin other: Arcuate (dopamine/GHRH) Preoptic (GnRH) Suprachiasmatic (melatonin) Emotion Lateral Ventromedial Dorsomedial White matter afferent Stria terminalis Medial forebrain bundle Retinohypothalamic tract efferent Mammillothalamic tract Dorsal longitudinal fasciculus Pituitary Posterior is diencephalon, but anterior is glandular
  Subthalamus	Subthalamic nucleus Zona incerta Nuclei campi perizonalis (Fields of Forel)

• Diencephalon
• Developmental biology