WEEK 5 - Topic 11 - Diencephalon Flashcards

1
Q

What does the diencephalon consist of?

A

3 paired structures:

  • thalamus
  • hypothalamus
  • epithalamus
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2
Q

What is the diencephalon? (Intro)

A

The diencephalon is the central core of the forebrain, surrounded by the cerebral hemispheres

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3
Q

What forms the forebrain?

A

Cerebral hemispheres

Diencephalon

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4
Q

How much of the diencephalon does the thalamus make up?

A

80%

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5
Q

What is the function of the thalamus?

A

The thalamus is the relay station for info entering the cerebral cortex.

  • It consists of many specialised nuclei and afferent impulses from all senses and all parts of the body synapse with at least one of its nuclei.
  • Within the thalamus, the “crude” sensory info is sorted out and edited and sent to the cerebral cortex for specific stimulus localisation and discrimination.
  • Overall, the thalamus mediates sensation, motor activity, cortical arousal, learning and memory.
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6
Q

What forms the superolateral walls of the third ventricle?

A

Thalamus

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7
Q

What forms the inferolateral walls of the third ventricle?

A

Hypothalamus

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8
Q

What connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland?

A

Infundibulum

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9
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

A

Controls body homeostasis

  • Controls the ANS: Influences blood pressure, rate and force of heartbeat, digestive tract motility, eye pupil size)
  • Initiates physical responses to emotions: The hypothalamus is part of the limbic system and it contains nuclei involved in perceiving pleasure, fear, rage and sex drive.
  • Regulates body temperature: Monitors blood temperature and initiates shivering/sweating.
  • Regulates food intake: Monitors blood levels of glucose and amino acids and regulates feelings of hunger and satiety.
  • Regulates water balance and thirst by receiving input from osmoreceptors
  • Regulates sleep-wake cycles: Its suprachiasmatic nucleus sets the timing of the sleep cycle in response to daylight and darkness.
  • Controls endocrine system functions: Controls releasing and inhibiting hormones which controls the secretion of hormones by the anterior pituitary

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10
Q

What forms the roof of the third ventricle?

A

Epithalamus

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11
Q

The epithalamus is the most ______ portion of the diencephalon

A

Dorsal

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12
Q

What does the epithalamus consist of?

A

The pineal gland/body

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13
Q

What does the pineal gland secrete?

A

Secretes the hormone melatonin, a sleep-inducing signal.

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14
Q

Where is the hypothalamus in relation to the thalamus?

A

Hypothalamus is anterior and inferior to the thalamus

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15
Q

The hypothalamus is ______ to the optic chiasma and ________ to the mammillary bodies.

A

Dorsal

Superior

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16
Q

What are mammillary bodies?

A

Mammillary bodies are a paired nuclei and they act as relay stations in the olfactory pathways