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Forebrain or Prosencephalon: The Diencephalon
Forebrain or Prosencephalon: The Diencephalon
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1. The Thalamencephalon
Thalamus
metathalamus or corpora geniculata
epithalamus(trigonum habenulæ+pineal body+posterior
commissure)
a)Thalamus
2 large ovoid masses on each side of the 3rd ventricle
Has 2 extremities(1 anterior and 1 posterior)
4 surfaces(superior, inferior, medial, and lateral)
anterior extremity
narrow
forms the posterior boundary of the interventricular foramen.
posterior extremity
expanded and overlaps the superior colliculus
Medially: is an angular prominence, the pulvinar=> forms laterally the
lateral geniculate body
Under the pulvinar is the medial geniculate body separated from it by the
superior brachium
superior surface
free and convex
covered by stratum zonale
separated laterally from the caudate nucleus by stria terminalis+terminal
vein
has a lateral and medial part formed by the lateral margin of the fornix
lateral part: forms a portion of the floor of the lateral ventricle,
medial part: covered by the tela chorioidea of the third ventricle
In front the superior surface is separated from the medial surface by tænia
thalami
Behind, it is limited medially trigonum habenulæ separated from it by the
sulcus habenulæ
inferior surface
continuous with the subthalamic tegmental region
Anterior to it is the substantia innominata of Meynert
medial surface
forms upper part of the lateral wall of the third ventricle
connected to the corresponding surface of the opposite thalamus by a flattened
gray band, the massa intermedia (middle or gray commissure)
Lateral surface
Forms the occipital part of the internal capsule
Separates the thalamus from the lentiform nucleus of the corpus striatum
Blood supply
Branches from posterior cerebral artery
polar
paramedian
inferolateral or thalamogeniculate
posterior medial and lateral choroidal arteries
b)The Metathalamus
Contains the medial and lateral geniculate bodies
medial geniculate body or internal geniculate body
covered by the pulvinar
found on the lateral aspect of the corpora quadrigemina
lighter in color and smaller in size than the lateral
Connected to the inferior brachium from the inferior colliculus
The medial geniculate bodies are connected with one another by the
commissure of Gudden
lateral geniculate body or external geniculate body
elevation on the lateral part of the posterior end of the thalamus
connected with the superior colliculus by the superior brachium
dark color and larger than the medial geniculate body
The superior colliculus, the pulvinar, and the lateral geniculate body constitute
to the lower visual centers
c) The Epithalamus
consists of trigonum habenulæ, the pineal body, and the posterior
commissure.
1. trigonum habenulæ
small depressed triangular area situated in front of the superior colliculus and
on the lateral aspect of the posterior part of the tænia thalami
contains a group of nerve cells termed the ganglion habenulæ
Fibers enter it from the stalk of the pineal body forming habenular
commissure
Most of its fibers form a bundle, the fasciculus retroflexusof Meynert,
which passes medial to the red nucleus and ends in the interpeduncular
ganglion
e) Optic Chiasma
quadrilateral band of fibers
found at the junction of the floor and anterior wall of the third ventricle
fibers have their origins in the retina, and reach the chiasma through the optic
nerves
fibers from the nasal half of the retina decussate
fibers from the temporal half of the retina do not undergo decussation
Occupying the posterior part of the commissure(joining) is the commissure
of Gudden, which is not derived from the optic nerves; it forms a connecting
link between the medial geniculate bodies.
Optic Tracts
The optic tracts are continued backward and lateralward from the postero-
lateral angles of the optic chiasma
Each winds around the ventrolateral aspect of the cerebral peduncle and
divides into a medial and a lateral root
The medial root comprises the fibers of Gudden’s commissure
The lateral root consists mainly of afferent fibers+few efferent fibers
afferent fibers arise from the lower visual centers. The fibers pass as
arise optic radiations, to the cortex of the occipital lobe of the
cerebrum, where the higher or cortical visual center is situated.
posterior boundary
Formed by the pineal body, the posterior commissure and cerebral aqueduct
Has 2 recesses:
recessus pinealis, projects into the stalk of the pineal body
recessus suprapinealis: in front and above of the pineal body
lateral wall
consists of
upper portion: the medial surface of the anterior 2/3 of the thalamus
lower portion: continuation of the gray substance of the ventricular floor
These two parts correspond to the alar and basal laminæ and are separated
from each other by a furrow, the sulcus of Monro, which extends from the
interventricular foramen to the cerebral aqueduct
The lateral wall is limited above by the tænia thalami
The lateral walls are joined to each other across the cavity of the ventricle by
a band of gray matter, the massa intermedia
Interpeduncular Fossa
Contains posterior perforated substance, corpora mamillaria, tuber cinereum,
infundibulum, and hypophysis
Limits:
Anterior: optic chiasma
Posterior: antero-superior surface of the pons
Anterolateral: optic tracts
Posterolateral: cerebral peduncles