THALAMUS





THALAMUS


v  The thalamus consist of large masses of grey matter.
v  It contains many nuclei.
v  It is predominantly a sensory relay station with incoming fibres from the spinal cord and brain stem and onward fibres to the cerebral cortex.

v  The thalamus is the crude identification of stimuli such as pain.
v  Variations of temperature (or) touch is due to thalamic integration.

HYPOTHALAMUS:


v  It lies below the thalamus.
v  Various afferent and efferent connections of hypothalamus are responsible for its functions.
v  It is having connections with limbic system.
v  Nuclei of tegmentum ,pons,hind brain and with pituitary gland.


FUNCTIONS:

v  TEMPERATURE REGULATION:  normal body temperature is maintained by striking a balance between heat production and heat loss.
1.       Temperature regulating centre in the hypothalamus is sensitive to changes in temperature of blood and also receives input from nerve fibres innervating temperature receptors in the skin.
2.       The hypothalamus regulates the secretion of the anterior and posterior pituitary hormones.
3.       Regulation of body water and electrolyte concentration .
4.       Maintenance of normal sexual desire, behaviour and reproduction.

MIDBRAIN –(MESENCEPHALON):

1.       It is the shortest segment of the brain stem, joins the forebrain above  to the pons and cerebellum below.
2.       Mid brain divided into right and left cerebral peduncles .

3.       Two ventral portions of these are distinctly separate from each other called CRURA CEREBRI.

A LAYER OF GREY MATTER

1.       A layer of grey matter –substantia nigra seprates them from the dorsal part of the midbrain, which is continues across the midline is known as TEGMENTUM.

2.       The matter is transversed by the cerebral aqueduct which connects the 3rd and 4th ventricles.
3.       The part of the tegmentum dorsal to the aqueduct is called tectum and it presents four rounded elevations known as the COLLICULI.


4.       The upper pair super colliculi are visual reflex centres and the lower pair super colliculi are visual reflex centres and the lower pair inferior colliculi are auditory reflex centres.
5.       Mid brain is an important centre for various righting and postural reflexes.
6.       These reflexes are being directed through visual and auditory impulses.

Post a Comment

0 Comments