diencephalon

di·en·ceph·a·lon  (dn-sf-ln, -ln)

n.

The posterior part of the forebrain that connects the midbrain with the cerebral hemispheres, encloses the third ventricle, and contains the thalamus and hypothalamus. Also called betweenbrain, interbrain, thalamencephalon.

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[di(a)- + encephalon.]

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di·en·ce·phalic (-s-flk) adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

diencephalon - the posterior division of the forebrain; connects the cerebral hemispheres with the mesencephalon betweenbrain, interbrain, thalmencephalon corpus mamillare, mamillary body, mammillary body - one of two small round structures on the undersurface of the brain that form the terminals of the anterior arches of the fornix infundibulum - any of various funnel-shaped parts of the body (but especially the hypophyseal stalk) pineal eye, third eye - a sensory structure capable of light reception located on the dorsal side of the diencephalon in various reptiles neural structure - a structure that is part of the nervous system nervus opticus, optic nerve, optic tract, second cranial nerve - the cranial nerve that serves the retina hypophysis, pituitary, pituitary body, pituitary gland - the master gland of the endocrine system; located at the base of the brain forebrain, prosencephalon - the anterior portion of the brain; the part of the brain that develops from the anterior part of the neural tube basal ganglion - any of several masses of subcortical grey matter at the base of each cerebral hemisphere that seem to be involved in the regulation of voluntary movement thalamus - large egg-shaped structures of grey matter that form the dorsal subdivision of the diencephalon hypothalamus - a basal part of the diencephalon governing autonomic nervous system