habenula

[ huh-ben-yuh-luh ]

noun

, Anatomy.

, plural ha·ben·u·lae [h, uh, -, ben, -y, uh, -lee].

1. a narrow bandlike structure, as the stalk attaching the pineal gland to the thalamus.

Other Words From

• ha·benu·lar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of habenula¹

1875–80; < Latin: small strip of skin, equivalent to habēn ( a ) strap, thong, rein (derivative of habēre to have, hold, possess; able, habit ¹ ) + -ula -ule

Example Sentences

The gene proved very active in the habenula, a region of the cichlid’s brain that registers fear and instigates movement.

From Science Magazine

Employing patch-clamp electrophysiology, researchers elucidated changes in neuronal excitability in the medial habenula and ventral tegmental area based on nicotine dosage and sex.

From Science Daily

The habenula, for its part, clearly acts as a kind of "satnav," showing the fish where it can locate a comfortable temperature and guiding it straight back there.

From Science Daily

Deactivating the habenula region robs the fish of its ability to find its way around and forces it to adopt a different search strategy similar to bacteria and other single-celled organisms: it swims in a straight line for a while and then checks whether the temperature has changed to its liking.

From Science Daily

The habenula might potentially store its location, enabling it to reconstruct sequences of movement.

From Science Daily