The HOPES Brain Tutorial (Non-Flash Version)
Part 7

A guided tour of the human brain and its parts.

Diencephalon

The diencephalon is part of the forebrain and is located above the midbrain. It contains two major organs: the thalamus and the hypothalamus.

Thalamus

The thalamus is a major relay center to the cortex for all sensations except for smell. It consists of many nuclei, including the lateral geniculate nucleus, which transmits visual information, and the medial geniculate nucleus, which transmits auditory information.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus controls many functions including hunger, thirst, pain, pleasure and the sex drive. Another key function of the hypothalamus is to regulate the pituitary gland, which in turn, regulates hormonal levels in the body.

Medial Forebrain Bundle

The medial forebrain bundle (MFB) is a bundle of axons that passes through the hypothalamus, and is rich in dopamine neurons. When stimulated, the neurons produce reinforcing, pleasurable feelings.>

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is attached to the inferior hypothalamus via a stalk containing blood vessels and neurons. The pituitary gland is divided into two distinct regions, the anterior and the posterior pituitary. The posterior pituitary is composed of neural tissue and considered an extension of the hypothalamus, while the anterior has a more extensive endocrine role, meaning that it regulates the levels of hormones in the body.

Last Modified: 4-29-04

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