The epithalamus (literally “nadalamus”) is the most dorsal (upper) posterior part of the thalamic brain , or, in other words, the talamic region — that part of the diencephalon where, in addition to the epithalamus, the thalamus , subtalamus and metatalamus also enter , but the hypothalamus and pituitary , attributed to the hypothalamic region [1] . Epithalamus rises above the thalamus . Its structures include an epithalamic leash , also called a brain leash , a triangle leash , a leash spike , a podspeechny organ and the pineal gland , as well as nerve paths connecting them with other brain structures, such as the brain strip of the thalamus , perennial-polypedular tract .
| Epithalamus | |
|---|---|
 Mesial view of the human brain . Incision along the middle sagittal plane. Epithalamus is marked in red. Its components shown here are the spike of the leads , the pineal gland , the posterior commissure , the anterior projection of which smoothly passes into the brain strip of the thalamus . | |
| Part | talamic region , or talamic brain , which in turn is part of the diencephalon , and that part of the forebrain . |
| Components | leash , leash triangle , leash solder , palpeal organ , pineal gland , thalamic brain strip , pedestrian-interpedicular tract |
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Content
Anatomical structure of epithalamus
Epithalamus consists of a leash (habenula), a triangle of the leash , adhesions of the leashes , subspawn organ and the pineal gland . It is closely associated with neural connections with the limbic system and with the basal nuclei .
In those chordates , which, in addition to the pineal gland itself , also have a photosensitive near-pineal organ , inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the leash is observed, while the left dorsal region of the leash is usually larger than the symmetrical right dorsal region [2] .
Physiological functions of epithalamus
The main physiological function of the epithalamus is to link the structures of the limbic system and the basal nuclei to other parts of the brain of chordates . In addition, epithalamus is also involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and in the regulation of the secretion of various hormones by the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary , due to the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland . Also important functions of epithalamus are participation in the regulation of motor functions (through its connections with the basal nuclei ) and emotions (through its connections with the limbic system ), as well as participation in the regulation of memory and cognitive functions (through the influence of melatonin on them).
Notes
- ↑ Klein, Stephen B. Biological Psychology / Stephen B. Klein, B. Michael Thorne. - Macmillan, Oct 3, 2006. - P. 579.
- ↑ Concha, ML; Wilson, SW Asymmetry in the epithalamus of vertebrates (Eng.) // J Anat. : journal. - 2001. - Vol. 199 , no. 1-2 . - P. 63-84 .