The Epithalamus

Abstract

The epithalamus in the adult mammalian brain consists of the anterior and posterior paraventricular nuclei, the medial and lateral habenular nuclei, the stria medullaris thalami, and the pineal body. They develop from a common pronuclear mass from which, early on, a large part splits off to form the nuclei of the pretectum (Rose, 1942b; Chapter 6). Although it may be appropriate to speak of the pretectum as part of the epithalamus during development, it is not customary to do so in the adult brain and it will be omitted from further consideration here. A detailed account of the whole pretectal complex can be found in Berman and Jones (1982). The pineal body is also not considered here because of its tenuous connection with the brain. Reviews of its history, its structure, and its function can be found in Berman (1968), Kappers and Pévet (1979), Reiter (1980), and Matthews and Seamark (1981).

On the coast two and a half miles from Thalamai is Pephnos—. The people of Thalamai say this is where the Dioskouri were born.

Pausanias (c. 160)Guide to Greece, translated by Peter Levi