Epithalamus
Epithalamus | |
---|---|
habenular nuclei, the stria medullaris, the anterior and posterior paraventricular nuclei, the posterior commissure, and the pineal gland.[2] | |
Identifiers | |
Latin | epithalamus |
MeSH | D019261 |
NeuroNames | 292 |
NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1710 |
TA98 | A14.1.08.002 A14.1.08.501 |
TA2 | 5675 |
FMA | 62009 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy] |
The epithalamus (pl.: epithalami) is a posterior
Functions
The function of the epithalamus is to connect the limbic system to other parts of the brain. The epithalamus also serves as a connecting point for the dorsal diencephalic conduction system, which is responsible for carrying information from the limbic forebrain to limbic midbrain structures.[4][5] Some functions of its components include the secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland (circadian rhythms), regulation of motor pathways and emotions, and how energy is conserved in the body.[citation needed]
A study has shown that the
Components
The epithalamus is a tiny structure that comprises the habenular trigone, the pineal gland, and the habenular commissure. It is wired with the limbic system and basal ganglia.
Species that possess a photoreceptive parapineal organ show asymmetry in the epithalamus at the habenula, to the left (dorsal).[7]
Clinical significance
Dysfunction of the epithalamus can be related to mood disorders such as major depression, schizophrenia, and sleeping disorders.[4] Low levels of melatonin will typically give rise to mood disorders.[8]
Sleep disorders
The epithalamus is associated with sleep disorders like insomnia revolving around circadian rhythms of sleep wake cycles. The close connection of the epithalamus with the limbic system regulates the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland and the regulation of motor pathways and emotions.[9] The secretion of melatonin happens in a cycle. Secretion is high at night or in the absence of light and low during the day. The suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus is responsible for this cycle of secretion from the epithalamus, specifically from the pineal gland.[8] The Circadian timekeeping is driven in cells by the cyclical activity of core clock genes and proteins such as per2/PER2.[9] Gamma-aminobutyric acid and several peptide factors, including cytokines, growth hormone-releasing hormone and prolactin, are related to sleep promotion.[10]
References
- ^ Klein, Stephen B.; Thorne, B. Michael (Oct 3, 2006). Biological Psychology. Macmillan. p. 579.[page needed]
- ^ ISBN 9780702052309.
- ^ Klein, Stephen B.; Thorne, B. Michael (Oct 3, 2006). Biological Psychology. Macmillan. p. 579.[page needed]
- ^ S2CID 24931369.
- S2CID 23735729.
- PMID 23736315.
- PMID 11523830.
- ^ a b Samuel, Daniel Silas; Duraisamy, Revathi; Kumar, M. P. Santhosh (January 1, 2019). "Pineal Gland - A mystic gland". Drug Intervention Today. 11 (1): 55–58. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ PMID 20547209.
- S2CID 10291621.
External links
- https://web.archive.org/web/20080504165606/
- http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/atlas/pdhn/
- NIF Search - Epithalamus[permanent dead link] via the Neuroscience Information Framework