Category Archives: Hypothalamus

Facts About Hypothalamus Disorders Hypothalamus disorders are those which affect the hypothalamus, which is an area of the brain that controls and regulates many different functions of the body. Dysfunctions of this small region have many causes, and can create numerous problems throughout the bodies of both men and women. About The Hypothalamus The complex human brain is composed of several different parts, each responsible for its own part in controlling the human body. One area, called the hypothalamus, is tucked below the thalamus in the most central part of the brain. Its main purpose is to control the functions of the pituitary gland which, in turn, regulates hormones by controlling the adrenal glands, ovaries, testes and the thyroid gland. However, the job of the hypothalamus does not end with the pituitary gland. It also has the task of regulating the bodys core temperature, emotions, growth, weight and appetite, sleep, sex drive and more. As important as the hypothalamus is, it is merely the size of an almond and weighs only about 5 grams. With such taxing responsibilities, it is easy to understand how the bodys normal functions can easily be seriously disrupted if the hypothalamus is unable to perform … Continue reading →

Where is my hypothalamus? Computer artwork of a person's head showing the left side of the brain with the hypothalamus highlighted. The hypothalamus is located on the undersurface of the brain. It lies just below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland, to which it is attached by a stalk. It is an extremely complex part of the brain containing many regions with highly specialised functions. In humans, the hypothalamus is approximately the size of a pea and accounts for less than 1% of the weight of the brain. One of the major functions of the hypothalamus is to maintain homeostasis, i.e. to keep the human body in a stable, constant condition. The hypothalamus responds to a variety of signals from the internal and external environment including body temperature, hunger, feelings of being full up after eating, blood pressure and levels of hormones in the circulation. It also responds to stress and controls our daily bodily rhythms such as the night-time secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland and the changes in cortisol (the stress hormone) and body temperature over a 24-hour period.The hypothalamus collects and combines this information and puts changes in place to correct any imbalances. There are … Continue reading →