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Diencephalon

contributed by Dr Frank Gaillard on September 10, 2008

System: Central Nervous System
Section: Anatomy

The diencephalon is connected above and in front with the cerebral hemispheres; behind with the mid-brain. Its upper surface is concealed by the corpus callosum, and is covered by a fold of pia mater, named the tela chorioidea of the third ventricle; inferiorly it reaches to the base of the brain.

It comprises:

  1. thalamencephalo
    1. thalamus
    2. corpora geniculata
    3. epithalamus, consisting of the trigonum habenulæ, the pineal body, and the posterior commissure
  2. hypothalamus
  3. posterior part of the third ventricle