Diencephalon: What is it? Anatomy and Functions

Located between the brain and the brainstem, at the base of the skull, the diencephalon includes 6 different structures: the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the epithalamus (to which the epiphysis also belongs), the subthalamus, the neurohypophysis and the third ventricle.
The diencephalon acts as a station for processing and sorting of information between the brain, the brainstem and the spinal cord; moreover, it is involved in numerous functions fundamental to life, such as the control of sensory systems, the regulation of the pituitary gland, learning, memory and the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.