The distribution and morphological characteristics of catecholamine (CA)-containing cell bodies in the diencephalon of 7-9-month-old fetuses were studied by means of the Faglu histofluorescence method. Although the general distribution of CA cell bodies in human diencephalon observed in the present study is similar to that in other mammals, there are some significant differences. A great number of CA neurons lie within the lateroventral hypothalamic zone. There are more numerous larger CA neurons distributed outside the periventricular gray in the human diencephalon.