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The interbrain is a part of the brain located under the hemispheres of the brain. This element performs many important functions, as it deals with, among others, regulating drive activities, maintaining a constant body temperature or sending nerve impulses to the cerebral cortex. What is the exact structure of the diencephalon and what happens when it is damaged?

Międzymózgowie(diencephalon) is one of the structures of the brain that is hardly talked about, and at the same time plays a very important role in the functioning of the human body. There are several parts within the human brain, which are the frontal brain, diencephalic, midbrain, pons and cerebellum. Each of them is characterized by a separate structure, but also specific functions.

Międzymózgowie - development

The interbrain, like other structures belonging to the brain, is separated from the neural tube, which is formed from one of the three germ layers - the ectoderm.

Around the third week of gestation, three vesicles are formed within the tube, which are the forebrain, midbrain and backbrain. From the forebrain, the forebrain and interbrain eventually separate.

Międzymózgowie - construction

Different authors distinguish elements belonging to the diencephalon differently, but the most common in this case are such structures as:

  • thalamus brain (which includes the thalamus and supermax),
  • hypothalamus,
  • low hill.

It is worth mentioning here that the third ventricle is located within the diencephalon.

Międzymózgowie - hill

The thalamus is considered to be one of the most important elements of the diencephalon - it is a center that integrates various nerve impulses, from which sensory information is sent to the cortex of the brain.

It is also involved in feeling emotions and transmitting nerve information related to the performance of any movements. The thalamus is oval in shape and is covered from the top by the hemispheres of the brain. It is worth mentioning here that there are two thalamus in the brain - right and left, which are separated from each other by the third ventricle.

A characteristic feature of the thalamus is that it has a lot of nuclei - they are divided into groups and therefore distinguished by:

  • group kernelfront hill,
  • nuclei of the lateral group of the thalamus,
  • nuclei of the medial thalamus group,
  • nuclei of the ventral thalamus group,
  • nuclei of the posterior thalamus group,
  • thalamic nuclei,
  • nuclei mid thalamus,
  • reticular nucleus.

It probably comes as no surprise that since the thalamus is associated with receiving and transmitting nerve impulses, it has numerous connections with other parts of the nervous system. They form the so-called boughs of the hill, of which four are distinguished:

  • anterior limb (pointing towards the frontal cortex),
  • upper limb (reaching the parietal cortex),
  • posterior limb (pointing towards the occipital cortex)
  • and the lower limb (reaching the temporal cortex).

Międzymózgowie - hypothalamus

The hill, like the hill, is connected to numerous other elements of the central nervous system, including with the hypothalamus, amygdala and thalamus.

The hypothalamus consists of such elements as the heal triangle (related to the limbic system), the heal commissure, the posterior commissure and the pineal gland. Basically, the most attention should be paid to the last of the structures listed here that belong to the hypothalamus, the pineal gland.

The pineal gland is a small pine nut-shaped organ which is responsible for inhibiting the production of sex hormones in childhood (which prevents premature sexual maturation), and in addition, the function of this organ is the production and secretion of melatonin.

Międzybrain - hypothalamus

Another important part of the diencephalon is the hypothalamus. It has three parts: reticular, nodular and visual. Like a hill, many nuclei are present in it, including:

  • mammary nuclei,
  • supraoptic nucleus,
  • paraventricular nucleus
  • and the core of the funnel.

Generally speaking, the hypothalamus is associated with controlling the activities of the limbic, autonomic and endocrine systems.

The hypothalamus is also related to the pituitary gland, which is very important for the functioning of the endocrine system.

Międzymózgowie - low hill

The low hill is located downwards and slightly to the side of the hill. Important structures are present in it, such as the low thalamic nucleus and the uncertain layer (which is an extension of the reticular nucleus of the thalamus).

Characteristic for the low-thalamus is the presence of white matter bands within it, which are referred to as the thalamic bundle and the lenticular bundle. There is also a low-mountain bunch whichconnects the lowthalamic nucleus with the pale globe.

Interbrain - features

The tasks performed by the described part of the brain can be listed a lot - generally, the functions of the diencephalic brain can be:

  • regulating many metabolic processes,
  • receiving, integrating and transmitting nerve impulses to the higher levels of the central nervous system (in particular to the cortex of the brain),
  • thermoregulation,
  • controlling the functions of the autonomic nervous system,
  • production of important hormones (hormones important for the functioning of the entire body are produced both in the hypothalamus and in the pituitary gland),
  • controlling the course of drive behavior (interbrain is associated with, among others, fight and flight reactions, but also with the feeling of hunger or satiety),
  • regulating the circadian rhythm (which is primarily responsible for the pineal gland and the melatonin produced in it).

Interbrain - diseases

Damage to the diencephalon, caused by ischemia or some proliferative process, may result in the occurrence of the so-called intracerebral syndrome. The symptoms that appear in this case are usually quite surprising, because patients may experience:

  • sexual arousal,
  • binge eating attacks,
  • polydipsia (significantly increased fluid intake),
  • apathy,
  • severely depressed mood,
  • irritability,
  • mood swings,
  • you feel very sleepy.

Disorders of the activity of the hypothalamus diabrain - developing as a result of, for example, a neoplastic lesion within it - may lead to hypopituitarism. However, the problem may also arise when the disorders concern only the pituitary gland (e.g. it may be damaged during radiotherapy or it may become necrotic during childbirth, which is called Sheehan's syndrome).

The symptoms of this disease may depend on the age at which it occurs - in children, hypopituitarism can lead to, among others, growth inhibition, in adult women its manifestation may be menstrual disorders, and in men it can lead to impotence.

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Category:

Neurology