The thalamus
Reading instructions
To get the most out of this learning tool, please read:
Bear, Mark F, Connors, Barry W., Paradiso, Michael A. Neuroscience : exploring
the brain. - 2 ed.
Chapter 7 page 163-252
Illustrations and anmimation
Thalamus/thalamus
Thalamus is a large elliptical grey mass of nuclei positioned in each
hemisphere on each side of the third ventricle interconnected by
the interthalamic adhesion/ adhesio interthalamica. Myelinated fiber
bundles emerge from the lateral surface of thalamus and terminate
in the cerebral cortex. There are five major groups of thalamic nuclei,
each with specific fiber connections. Thalamus is the principle relay
station for sensory impulses from the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum
and other parts of the cerebrum to the cortex.
The anterior choroidal artery provides blood supply of the thalamus.
Hypothalamus/hypothalamus
Hypothalamus is the most inferior part of the diencephalon and lies
below and in front of thalamus and forms the floor and part of the
lateral walls of the third ventricle. Hypothalamus contains several
small nuclei involved in the integration of the functions of the
autonomic nervous system and control of endocrine hormone release
from the pituitary gland.
Corpora mamillaria/the mamillary bodies are nuclei involved in olfactory reflexes and emotional responses to odors and appear as bulges on the ventral surface.
A stalk, the infundibulum, extends from the floor of the hypothalamus, connecting it to the posterior pituitary gland, also called the neurohypophysis.
Hypothalamus gets its blood supply both from the anterior cerebral artery/ a.cerebri anterior and the posterior cerebral artery/ a.cerebri posterior.