noun
- Plural of diencephalon; the posterior part of the forebrain that includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pineal gland.
Usage: technical; anatomy; neuroscience
Examples
- The diencephala regulate temperature, hunger, and sleep cycles in vertebrates.
- Damage to the diencephala can affect hormone production and sensory processing.
- In comparative anatomy, researchers study the diencephala across different species.
- The thalamus and hypothalamus are key structures within the diencephala.