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Brain: Epithalamus
Mesal aspect of a brain sectioned in the median sagittal plane. Epithalamus labeled in red, by 'habenular commissure', 'pineal body', and 'posterior commissure', with its projection anteriorly consisting stria medullaris
Latin	epithalamus
Gray's	subject #189 812
NeuroNames	hier-275
MeSH	Epithalamus
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_1710

The epithalamus is a dorsal posterior segment of the diencephalon (a segment in the middle of the brain also containing the hypothalamus and the thalamus) which includes the habenula, the stria medullaris and the pineal body. Its function is the connection between the limbic system to other parts of the brain.

[edit] Functions

Some functions of its components include the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland.

[edit] Components

The epithalamus comprises the trigonum habenulæ, the pineal body, and the posterior commissure.

[edit] External links

• Overview at University of Idaho
• http://isc.temple.edu/neuroanatomy/lab/atlas/pdhn/
• NIF Search - Epithalamus via the Neuroscience Information Framework