The Diencephalon

Diencephalon:
-middle structure which is largely
embedded in cerebrum.
-hidden from surface view.
-cavity form greater part of 3rd
ventricle.
-hypothalamic sulcus extending
from interventricular foramen
to cerebral aqueduct divides
each half of diencephalon into
dorsal & ventral parts.
Dorsal part of Diencephalon
-Thalamus(dorsal thalamus)
-Metathalamus incuding medial
& lateral geniculate bodies.
-Epithalamus including Pineal
body & habenula

Ventral part of Diencephalon

-Hypothalamus
-Subthalamus(ventral thalamus)
Thalamus:
-large mass of grey matter situated in lateral
wall of 3rd ventricle & in floor of central
part of lateral ventricle
-has anterior & posterior ends, superior,
inferior, medial & lateral surfaces.
-anterior end with anterior nuc. is narrow &
forms posterior boundary of
interventricular foramen.
-posterior end is expanded and is known as
pulvinar.- overhangs lateral & medial
geniculate bodies, superior colliculus
with its brachium
-superior surface is divided into a
lateral ventricular part which
forms floor of central part of
lateral ventricles- and medial
extra-ventricular part which is
covered by telachoridea of 3rd
ventricle. it is limited laterally by
caudate nucleus, stria terminalis
& thalamostriate vein & medially
by habenular stria ( stria
medullaris thalami)
-inferior surface rests on
subthalamus & hypothalamus
-medial surface forms
posterosuperior part of lateral
ventricle.- medial surfaces of two
thalami are interconnected by an
interthalamic adhesion.
-lateral surface forms medial
boundary of posterior limb of
internal capsule.
Structure & Nuclei of Thalamus:
White matter:
-external medullary lamina covers
lateral surface
-internal medullary lamina divides
thalamus into 3 parts: anterior,
medial & lateral.
Grey matter:
-divided to form several nuclei
-anterior nucleus in anterior part.
-medial nucleus in medial part.-
anterior & medial part together
represents paleothalamus.
-lateral part of thalamus is larges
& represents neothalamus- is
divided into lateral nucleus in
dorsal part & ventral nucleus
in ventromedial part – ventral
nucleus is subdivided into
anterior, intermediate &
posterior groups.
-posterior group is further
divided into posterolateral &
posteromedial groups.
-intralaminar nuclei including
centromedian nucleus(located
in the internal medullary
lamina) midline
nuclei(periventricular grey on
the medial surface) & reticular
nuclei on lateral surface.
Connections and Functions of
Thalamus:
*afferent impulse from a large numbers of
subcortical centers converge on
thalamus.
-exteroceptive & propioceptive impulses
ascend to it through medial lemniscus,
spinothalamic tract.
-visual & auditory impulses reach medial &
lateral geniculate bodies
-sensation of taste are conveyed through
solitarothalamic tract. Although
thalamus does not receive direct
olfactory impulse they probably reach it
through amygdaloid complex.
-visceral information is conveyed
from hypothalamus and probably
through reticular formation
-thalamus also recieves profuse
connection from all parts of
cerebral cortex, cerebellum and
copus striatum
-that is why thalamus is regarded as
a great intergrating center where
information from all these source
is brought together.
-this information is projected to
almost the whole of cerebral
cortex through profuse
thalamocortical projecion.
*efferent projection also reach corpus
striatum, hypothalmus & reticular
formation
Clinical Anatomy
-Lesion of the thalamus cause impairment of all types of
sensibilities: joint sense ( posture & passive movements)
being the most affected.
-Thalamic syndrome is characterized by disturbances of
sensations, hemiplegia or hemiparesis together with
hyperaesthsia & severe spontaneous pain. Pleasant as well
as unpleasant sensations or feelings are exaggerated.
Metathalamus:
-consists of medial & lateral
geniculate bodies on each side
of midbrain, below thalamus.
Medial Geniculate Body:
-an oval elevation situated just
below the pulvinar of thalamus
& lateral to superior colliculus.-
inferior brachium conncets to
inferior colliculus
-conncetions of MGB are as
follows:
Afferents: 1) lateral leminiscus
& 2) fibers from both inf.
Colliculi
Efferents: gives rise to acoustic
radiation going to auditory
area of cortex(temporal lobe)
through sublentiform part of
internal capsule.
-Fucntions: MGB is last relay
station on pathway of auditory
impulse to cerebral cortex
Lateral Geniculate Body
-small oval elevation situated
anterolateral to MGB, below
thalamus- overlapped by
medial part of temporal lobe
and is conneted to superior
colliculus by superior
brachium.
-structures:
six layers 1,4 & 6 receive
contralateral optic fibers & 1,2
& 3 layers ipsilateral optic
fibers.
-Connections:
Afferent: optic tract(lateral root)
Efferents: gives rise to optic
radiation going to visual
pathway of cortex through
retrolentiform part of internal
capsule
-Function: LGB is last station of
visual pathway to occpital
cortex.
Epithalamus:
-occupies caudal part of roof of
diencephalon & consists of
1) the right & left habenular
nuclei each situated beneath
the floor of corresponding
habenular trigone
2) pineal body or epiphysis
cerebri
3) habenular commissure
4) posterior commissure
Habenular Nucleus:
-lies beneath floor of habenular
trigone- trigone is a small
depressed triangular area
situated above the superior
colliculus & medial to pulvinar
of thalamus.-medially it is
bounded by stria medullaris
thalami & stalk of pineal body.
– it forms the part of limbic
system.
Pineal Body:
-small conical organ projecting
backwards & downwards
between two superior
colliculi.- placed below
splenium of corpus callosum.-
is separated from it by
telachoroidea of 3 rd ventricle
& contained cerebral veins.
-consists of conical body about 8
mm long & stalk or peduncle
which divides anteriorly into
two laminae separated by
pineal recess third ventricle.
Superior lamina of stalk
contains habenular
commissure & inferior lamina
contains posterior
commissure.
Morphological Significance:
-in reptiles pineal body is represented
by double structure: anterior part
(parapineal organ) develops into
pineal or parietal eye. Posterior
part is glandular in nature. In
human pineal body represents
posterior glandular part only.
Structure:
-composed of two types of cells:
pinealocytes & neuroglial cells,
with rich network of blood vessels
& sympathetic fibers
Functions:
-has long been regarded as a
vestigial organ of no
importance.
-recent investigations has
shown that it is an
endocrine gland of great
importance.
-produced hormones that may
have regulatory influence on
many other endocrine
organs like
adenohypophysis,
neurohypophysis,
parathyroid, the adrenal
cortex & medulla & gonads)
-best known hormone is
melatonin which causes
changes in skin colour.
Hypothalamus:
-part of diencephalon- lies in
floor & lateral wall of 3rd
ventricle
-designated as head ganglion of
ANS because it takes part in
control of many visceral &
metabolic activities of body
-anatomically, it includes floor of
3rd ventricle or structure in
interpeduncular fossa &
lateral wall of 3rd ventricle
below hypothalmic sulcus.
Boundaries:
-bounded anteriorly by posterior
perforated substance & on
each side by optic tract & crus
cerebri
-in saggital section, is bounded
anteriorly by lamina
terminalis.
-inferiorly by floor of 3rd ventricle
(from optic chiasma to
posterior perforated
substance) &
posterosuperiorly by
hypothalamic sulcus.
Parts of Hypothalamus:
-is subdivided into optic part,
tuberal & mamillary parts.
Nuclei of each part are as
follows:
Optic part:
* supraoptic nuc., above optic
chiasma
* paraventricular nuc. Just above
supraoptic nuc.
Tuberal part
* ventromedial nuc.
* dorsomedial nuc.
* tuberal nuc., lateral to
ventromedial nuc.
Mamillary part
*posterior nuc.,caudal to
ventromedial and dorsomedial
nuc.
*lateral nuc., lateral to posterior
nuc.
Important Connections:
-Afferent: receives visceral
sensations through spinal
cord & brain stem(reticular
formation)- also conncected
to several centers connected
with olfactory pathways
including piriform cortex: with
cerebellum: & with retina
-Efferents:
*Surpaopticohypophyseal tract
from optic nuclei to pars
posterior, pars tuberalis &
pars intermedia of
hypophysis cerebri.
*mamillothalamic tact.
*mamillotegmental tract
(periventricular system of
fibers)
Functions of Hypothalamus:
-complex neuroglandular mechanism
concerned with regulation of
visceral and vasomotor activities of
body. Functions are as follows:
*Endocrine control: by forming
releasing hormones & releasing
inhibiting hormones regulates TSH,
ACTH, STH, LH,FSH & MSH by pars
anterior of pituitary gland.
-Neurosecretion: oxytocin &
vasopressin are secreted by
hypothalamus & transported to
infundibulum & post. lobe of
pituitary gland
- General Autonomic Effect:
controls cardiovascular,
respiratory & alimentary fx.
-Temperature Regulation:
balance between heat
production & heat loss of body
-Regulation of Food & Water
Intake: hunger or feeding
center is placed laterally,
satiety center medially, thirst
or drinking center is situated in
lateral part of hypothalamus
-Sexual Behaviour &
Reproduction: through its
control of anterior pituitary it
controls
gametogenesis,various
reproductive cycles &
maturation & maintenane of
secondary sexual
characteristics.
-Biological Clocks: Sleep &
wakefullness is an example
of circadian rhythm. –
wakefullness maintained
by reticular formation &
sleep is produced by
hypnogenic zones of
thalamus & hypthalamus.
Leseion in anterior
hypothalamus cause
disturbance in this cycle.
-Emotion, Fear, Rage,
Aversion, Pleasure &
Reward:- these facilities
are controlled by
hypothalamus, limbic
system & prefrontal cortex.
Clinical Anatomy

Lesion in the hypothalamus give rise to one of the fear following

syndrome.
1) Obesity. Frolich’s syndrome or Laurence Moon-Bield
syndrome.
2) Diabetes insipidus
3) Diencephalic autonomic epilepsy: characterised by flushing,
sweating, lacrimation, tachycardia, retardation of respiratory
rate, unconsciousness.
4) Sexual disturbance. Either precocity or impotence
5) Disturbance of sleep.
6) Hyperglycemia & Glycosurea
7) Acute ulceration in the upper part of GI tract.
Subthalamus:
-lies between midbrain & thalamus,
medial to internal capsule &
globus pallidus. Consists of
followings:
Grey matter: cranial ends of red
nucleus & substantia nigra
extend into it., subthalamic
nucleus & zona incerta.
White matter: cranial ends of
lemnisci, lateral to red nucleus.
Dentothalamic tract along with
rubrothalamic fibers, ansa
lenticularis, fasciculus
lenticularis & subthalamic
fasciculus.
-subthalamic nucleus is biconvex in
coronal section & situated to
dorsolateral to red nucleus &
ventral to zona incerta.
-zona incerta is a thin lamina of gray
matter situated between thalamus
& subthalamic nucleus. It is
continuous with reticular nucleus
of thalamus. Functional
singificance is unknown.
-lesion of subthalamic nucleus can
result in hemiballism
characterised by involuntary
movements on opposite side of
body.