DIENCEPHALON

CONSIST OF THALAMUS,
HYPOTHALAMUS, EPITHALAMUS
AND SUBTHALAMUS.
 THALAMUS
• THE THALAMUS IS A LARGE MASS OF GREY
MATTER THAT LIES LATERAL TO THE 3RD
VENTRICLE.
• IT HAS 2 ENDS ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR.
• IT HAS FOUR SURFACES SUPERIOR, INFERIOR
LATERAL AND MEDIAL.
• ANT END LIES BEHIND INTERVENTRICULAR
FORAMEN
• POST. END (PULVINAR) LIES ABOVE AND
LATERAL TO SUP. COLLICULUS.
Coronal section through the cerebrum showing
relations of thalamus
• MED SURFACE FORMS LATERAL WALL OF 3RD VENTRICLE
AND BOTH CONNECTED BY INTERTHALAMIC ADHESIONS
• INFERIORLY MED SURFACE IS SEPARATED FROM
HYPOTHALAMUS ANTERIORLY AND SUBTHALAMUS
POSTERIORLY BY HYPOTHALAMIC SULCUS WHICH RUNS
FROM THE INTERVENTRICULAR FORAMEN TO THE
AQUEDUCT.
• LATERAL SURFACE IS RELATED TO INTERNAL CAPSULE
WHICH SEPARATES IT FROM LENTIFORM NUCLEUS.
• SUP SURFACE IS RELATED SUPEROLATERALLY TO
CAUDATE NUCLEUS SUPEROMEDIALLY BY FORNIX AND
TELA CHOROIDEA(FOLD OF PIA MATTER)
 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF
THALAMUS
• It consist of mainly grey matter with a thin
layer of white matter on the superior surface
called stratum zonale and on the lateral
surface called ext. medullary lamina.
• The grey matter is subdivided into three main
parts Y shaped sheet of white matter the int.
medullary lamina.
• The parts are lateral, medial and anterior.
• Nuclei of Anterior part are collectively Known as
Ant. Nucleus.
• Nuclei of medial part: Largest is Med. Dorsal
nucleus. Has anteromedial and posterolateral
parts
• Nuclei of lateral part are divided into Ventral and
lateral groups. Ventral group has 3 sets of nuclei 1.
Ventral Ant. Nucleus
• 2. Ventral Lat. Nucleus
• 3. Ventral Post. Nucleus divided into ventral
posteromedial And ventral posterolateral.
• The lateral group has anteroposteriorly:
• 1. lateral dorsal nucleus
• 2. lateral posterior nucleus
• 3. Pulvinar.
• Other thalamic nuclei includes
• 1. Intralaminar nuclei in the int. medullary
lamina
• 2. Midline nuclei B/W the medial part of
thalamus and ependyma.
• The medial and lateral geniculate bodies
 Connections of Thalamus
• The thalamus is an integrating centre where info
from different part are received, processed and
transmitted to and from the cerebral cortex and
other parts of the body.
• Afferents from subcortical areas include;
exteroceptive and proprioceptive impulses via
medial lemnicus, spinothalamic tracts and
trigeminothalamic tracts
• Visual and auditory impulses via lateral and medial
geniculate bodies respectively.
• Taste via solitariothalamic tract.
• Olfactory impulses via the amygdaloid
complex.
• Visceral information from hypothalamus and
reticular formation.
• Afferents from cerebellum, cerebral cortex
and corpus striatum also reach it.
• Cerebral cortex info are transmitted via the
thalamocortical projections these forms
bundles known as thalamic radiations or
peduncles.
The thalamic peduncles are: Anterior(frontal), superior(dorsal), Posterior(caudal) and ventral.
 Connections of ventral group of nuclei
• The ventral posterior nucleus are the most
important connections of the thalamus.
• The receive major sensory pathways from spinal
cord and brain stem.
• Medial lemniscus and spinothalamic tract carry
sensations from limb and lower trunk and end in
the ventral posterolateral part; while trigeminal
fibres from the head end ventral posteromedial
part, which also receives fibres for taste.
• All sensation reaching the nucleus are carried
to the sensory area of cerebral cortex via
superior thalamic radiation.
• Connections of ventral anterior nucleus are
largely unknown.
• Ventral lateral nucleus receives fibres from
globus pallidus, substantia nigra, cerebellar
and vestibular nuclei. It also receives some
fibres from spinothalamic tract.
 Connections of lateral group of nuclei
• Lateral dorsal receive from superior colliculus
and efferents reach cingulate gyrus,
parahippocampal gyrus and part of hippocampal
formation.
• Lateral posterior receive from sup. Colliculus and
efferents reach cerebral cortex.
• Pulvinar receives fibres from sup. Colliculus. Inf.
Part receives fibres from the retina efferents
project to extrastriate visual area in occipital and
parietal lobes.
 Connections of other thalamic nuclei
• Anterior nucleus receives fibres from mamillary
body and efferents project to gyrus cinguli.
• Medial dorsal receive from amygdala and globus
pallidus and efferents go to cerebral cortex. Damage
leads to decrease anxiety tension and aggression.
• Intralaminar nuclei receives fibres through collateral
spinothalamic tracts, cerebellar nuclei and
substantia nigra efferents reach the cerebral cortex.
• Midline nuclei have connections mainly with limbic
system.
Medial and lateral
geniculate bodies
collections of grey
matter situated bellow
the posterior part of
thalamus.
Each mass is bent on
itself hence the name
“geniculate”
 Medial geniculate body
• It’s a relay station on the auditory pathway
• It receives fibres of lateral lemniscus through
brachium of inferior colliculus.
• Fibre which constitute acoustic radiation pass
thru sublentiform part of internal capsule to
reach acoustic area of cerebral cortex.
• Each receive fibres from the cochleae of both
sides.
 LATERAL GENICULATE BODY
• It’s a relay station of the visual pathway.
• It receives fibres from both retina of the eyes.
• Efferents from it constitute the optic radiation
which end in visual area of the cerebral cortex.
• Section thru it shows six lamellae separated by
nerve fibre.
• Lamina 1, 4 and 6 receives fibres from
opposite side while 2, 3 and 5 receive from
same side.
 HYPOTHALAMUS
• It lies below the thalamus.
• It forms the medial wall of the third ventricle
below the hypothalamic sulcus.
• Lateral to it is the internal capsule and
posterior to this is the subthalamus.
• Posteriorly it merges with the subthalamus
and thru it with the tegmentum of the
midbrain.
• Anteriorly it extends up to lamina terminalis.
• Inferiorly it is related to the structures in the
floor of the third ventricle.
• SUBDIVISIONS OF THE THALAMUS
• From medial to lateral into 3 zones:
• A) periventricular zone
• B) Intermediate zone.
• C) lateral zone.
 ANTEROPOSTERIOR DIVISIONS
• A) preoptic region which adjoins lamina
terminalis.
• B) Supraoptic region lies above optic chiasma.
• C) Tuberal region includes infundibulum, the
tuber cinereum and region above it.
• D) Mamillary region consist of the mamillary
body and region above it.
 HYPOTHALAMIC NUCLEI
• They are scattered through out the
hypothalamus they include: 1. preoptic
nucleus. 2. mamillary nucleus. 3.
paraventricular nucleus. 4. suprachiasmatic
nucleus. 5. posterior nucleus. 6. arcuate
nucleus. 7. anterior nucleus. 8. dorsimedial
nucleus. 9. ventrimedial nucleus. 10.
premamillary nucleus. 11. lateral nucleus. 12.
supraoptic nucleus. 13. tuberomamillary
nucleus. And 14. lateral tuberal nuclei.
 CONNECTIONS OF THE HYPOTHALAMUS.
• It is concerned with visceral function and so
connected to parts with similar function like
• Limbic system, reticular formation and
autonomic centres in the brain stem and
spinal cord. It also acts by releasing secretions
into the blood and CSF.
• AFFERENT CONNECTIONS
• 1. visceral afferents including taste through
spinal cord and brain stem.
• 2. afferents from nucleus of solitary tract carry
taste impulses.
• 3. somatic afferent thru collaterals of major
ascending tracts.
• 4 afferents from centres connected to
olfactory pathway and limbic system.
• 5. cortico-hypothalamic fibres
• 6. afferents from subthalamic nucleus and
zona incerta.
 EFFERENT CONNECTIONS
• Efferents go to autonomic centres of brain and
spinal cord. These include nucleus of solitary
tract, dorsal nucleus of vagus nucleus
ambiguus and parabrachial nucleus in brain
stem and intermediolateral grey column in
spinal cord.
• From mamillary body to anterior nucleus for
thalamus.
• Some go to the neocortex and play role in
maintaining cortical arousal.
 CONTROL OF PITUITARY GLAND BY
HYPOTHALAMUS.
• The hypothalamus secretes bioactive peptides
which control secretions of the pituitary gland.
• Vasopressin (ADH) and oxytocin are
neurosecretory products synthesized by
paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of
hypothalamus they pass down to the
neurohypophysis where they are released.
• It controls the adenohypophysis by producing
releasing factors.
• Cells of arcuate nucleus produce releasing
factors which control the release of
appropriate hormones from the
adenohypophysis.
 Functions of hypothalamus
• Regulation of eating and drinking behaviour lateral
part is responsible for thirst and hunger while the
ventromedial part has the satiety centre.
• Regulation of sexual activity and reproduction it
exerts effects on ovarian cycle and development of
secondary sexual characteristics.
• Control of autonomic activity affecting the CVS,
respiratory and GIT. Caudal part controls
sympathetic activity while the cranial part controls
parasympathetic activity.
• Emotional behaviour: it influences emotions
like fear, anger and pleasure.
• Control of endocrine activity through the
adenohypophysis.
• Response to stress through the control of ANS
and hormones.
• Temperature regulation through preoptic
nucleus.
• Biological clock controls cyclical activities eg
sleep and wake cycle.
 EPITHALAMUS.
• Lies in relation to the post. Part of the roof of
the 3rd ventricle.
• It includes pineal body, anterior and posterior
paraventricular nuclei, medial and lateral
habenular nuclei, stria medullaris thalami and
posterior commissure.
• Pineal gland is made of cells called
pinealocytes. The glands secretes hormones
which influence other glands like the thyroid,
parathyroids and the gonads.
 SUBTHALAMUS (VENTRAL THALAMUS)
• Lies below the posterior part of the thalamus,
behind and lateral to the hypothalamus.
• Inferiorly it is continuous with the tegmentum
of the midbrain.
• Laterally it is related to the lowest part of the
internal capsule.
• The nuclei in it are reticular nucleus, zona
incerta and perigeniculate nuclei.