Notes

Diencephalon: Overview Thalamus and Hypothalamus are the two main structures that constitute the Diencephalon. The main function of the Epiphyse or Pineal Gland is the production of melatonin. The Chiasma Opticum is the location where the optic nerves cross.

Diencephalon: Thalamus

• It receives inputs and sends outputs to various regions of the brain.
• It represents the "Gatekeeper of the brain".
• It is important for the transfer of information from the periphery to sensory processing regions in the telencephalon.
• It has important gating (filtering) functions: it determines whether sensory information reaches conscious awareness in the neocortex.
• It participates in the integration of motor information from the cerebellum and basal ganglia and transmits this information to cerebral areas concerned with movement.

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus

• It regulates several behaviors that are essential for homeostasis and reproduction: it controls a variety of bodily and reproductive functions, including growth, eating, drinking and maternal behavior, by regulating hormonal secretions from the pituitary gland.
• It is an important control center for the autonomic nervous system and for the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress-response system.

Diencephalon: Neuroendocrinology of the Hypothalamus

Diencephalon: epithalamus and Subthalamus Epithalamus

• Epithelial roof of the third ventricle, habenula, pineal body and afferent/efferent connections.
• Secretion of melatonin, regulation of day-night cycles, information processing related to olfaction.

Subthalamus

• Continuation of the tegmentum.
• Functionally part of the basal ganglia (motor control).