1. The part of the brain that lies between the midbrain and the cerebral hemispheres, containing the thalamus and hypothalamus.
Usage: anatomy; neuroscience

Examples

• The diencephalon plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature and hunger.
• Damage to the diencephalon can affect sleep-wake cycles and hormone production.
• The thalamus, located in the diencephalon, relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
• Students studying neuroanatomy learn that the diencephalon includes the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
• The diencephalon develops from the embryonic forebrain during fetal development.