The Hypothalamus and its

functions

By
Dr Lawrence ADEDAYO
Department of Human Physiology
Federal University Wukari
 What is hypothalamus?
• The hypothalamus is very small, but extremely
important part of the diencephalon, located below
and anterior to the thalamus forming part of the wall
and floor of the 3rd ventricle and weighs about 4
grams.
• It is a main component and the major output control
pathway of the limbic system, so their functions are
closely interrelated
 TD DIENCEPHALONe Diencephalon

nix
r
fo
thalamus
thalamus
Epithalamus
Epithalamus
hypothalamus
hypothalamus (Pineal
(Pineal&
&
Habenula)
Habenula)
Optic
Opticchiasm
chiasm
pituitary
pituitary
Mammillary subthalamus
subthalamus
body
 The hypothalamic nuclei

 Each hypothalamus contains the following 5

groups of nuclei:
1. Anterior group (supraoptic, suprachiasmatic, preoptic
and paraventricular nuclei)
2. Lateral group ( a large group lateral nucleus)
3. Medial (middle) group ( dorsomedial and ventro medial
nuclei and the arcuate nucleus)
4. Posterior group ( posterior nucleus and mammillary
nuclei in the mammillary body)
5. Periventricular nuclei.
Nervous connection of the hypothalamus
 Afferent fibres: the hypothalamus receives afferent fibres from
 a) limbic system ( the limbic lobe, hippocampus and amygdaloid
nucleus
 b) the thalamus
 c) the reticular formation ( through which it receives collaterals
from the sensory tracts
 d) the optic chiasma
 Efferent fibres: the hypothalamus sends efferent fibres to
 a) limbic system
 b) the thalamus
 c) the reticular formation (through which it controls centres in the
brain stem and spinal cord)
 d) posterior pituitary gland.
Hypothalamus
Functions
 Neural
NeuralInfluences
Influences HormonalInfluences
Hormonal Influences

The Hypothalamus
Autonomic
Autonomic Endocrine
Endocrine
Nervous
Nervous System
System
Limbic
Limbic
System
System System
System
 Functions of hypothalamus
• Studies of the functions of region of hypothalamus
include electrical stimulation of specific locations,
destruction of tissue (producing lesions) in particular
sites, and surgical removal, or ablation of specific
structures. And these studies suggest the following
functions.
• The functions can be categorise as:
• Endocrine , autonomic and behavioural.
• The several functions of hypothalamus are:
 Cardiovascular regulation

• Areas of the hypothalamus are able to

regulate blood pressure and heartbeat frequency by
neural influence very effectively.
• We can generally say that stimulation of
the lateral and posterior hypothalamus raises both
heartbeat frequency and blood pressure. On the
other hand high activity of the preoptic area
decreases either of them.
• This effect is arranged by the linkage of the
hypothalamus with cardiovascular control centres in
the reticular formation of the pons and medulla.
 Regulation of body temperature

• In the preoptic area are located two types of temperature sensitive

neurons, perceiving the cold and perceiving the warm. Both types
monitors the temperature of the blood flowing through adjacent
capillaries and beyond this own receptor activity obtain information
from peripheral thermoreceptors.
• If the temperature of the blood descends, then cold sensitive neurons in
preoptic area rise the frequency of produced action potentials and via their
projections triggers vasoconstriction of the skin and appropriate patterns
of behaviour (looking for sources of the heat and the like).
• On the contrary rise of the temperature stimulates warm sensitive neurons
which projections indirectly mediate vasodilatation of the skin and
respective behaviour
 Regulation of water metabolism

• In the lateral hypothalamus is the area that we call

the thirst center.
• Neurons of this structure are able to monitor
the osmolarity of surrounding fluid.
• If there is the hyperosmolar surrounding then they shrink
(by diffusion of their intracellular water to the
hyperosmolar extracellular space), and this leads to the
change in their activity and finally in causing
the sensation of thirst.
 Cont’d
 In the supraoptic area we can find similar neurons able
to monitor osmotic pressure.
 They raise their activity in hyperosmolar fluid and by
their projections across the infundibulum to
the neurohypophysis release from these
axons antidiuretic hormone (ADH also known
vasopressin).
 This hormone causes water resorption in collecting ducts
in kidneys.
 Regulation of feeding

 The lateral hypothalamus is the area which causes very strong feeling
of the hunger and compulsive craving to find some food (orexigenic
effect).
 A lesion of the lateral hypothalamus leads to absolute loss of the
appetite what leads to death of experimentally injured animals.
 According to this fact is lateral hypothalamus considered to be
the hunger center.
 The centre of satiety is located in the ventromedial nucleus. The
stimulation of this centre leads to the complete loss of interest about
the nourishment in experimental animals (anorexigenic effect).
 Control of autonomic functions:

 The anterior nuclei control parasympathetic.

Functions.
While the posterior and lateral nuclei control
sympathetic functions.
 Control of endocrine glands
 Occurs by 2 ways:

a) Nervous control: hypothalamus controls 2 glands by

sending nerve signals ------the adrenal medulla through the
vasomotor centre.

 The posterior pituitary gland through the hypothalamo-

hypophyseal tract. The hormones of this gland are also
synthesized in the hypothalamus (ADH by supraoptic
nucleus, and oxytocin by the paraventricular nucleus).
 Cont’d
b. Hormonal control:

 The hypothalamus controls the anterior pituitary

gland and consequently most other endocrine glands
by releasing hypophysiotropic hormones from its
median eminence into the hypothalamohypophyseal
portal circulation.
 Tubero-infundibular tract

Hypothalam us

System ic arterial inflow

Hypothalam o-hypophyseal
portal system

Anterior pituitary

Posterior pituitary
System ic venous outflow

= Hypophysiotropic horm one = Anterior pituitary horm one

 Behavioral functions of hypothalamus and associated structures

• Lateral hypothalamus:
 Participates in increasing of the whole activity of being except its
function as the center of hunger and thirst.
 Activities are connected, because the higher activity of lateral
hypothalamus leads to both feeling of the hunger and thirst and
to triggering of behavioral patterns of active looking for some
nourishment and water.
• Strong activation manifests as an anger and high aggression.

• Bilateral lesion leads to increased passivity which presents as

the loss of the most of instincts.
 Ventromedial nucleus

• The stimulation of the ventromedial nucleus and

surrounding areas leads to inverse effects than in
stimulating of the lateral hypothalamus. Experimental
animal has reduced appetite and behaves abnormally tame.

• If ventromedial nucleus is bilaterally destroyed, then

this animal starts to be hyperactive, aggressive and
we can see repeated torrents of anger even after a
merest provocation.
 Periventricular nuclei

 The stimulation of this thin group of nuclei in the near

of the third ventricle leads to feeling of fear and they
work as stress centres (potent motivation apparatus).
 Anterior and posterior hypothalamus:
Anterior and posterior parts of the hypothalamus are
responsible for the stimulation of the sexual behaviour, which
can attain of obscure forms after the strong stimulation.
Experimental animals are forced even to sexual stimulation by
inanimate objects by this stimulation.
 AFFERENT THEORY OF FOOD INTAKE

 Four main hypothesis are involved in the control of food

intake and they are not mutually exclusive, namely:
a. LIPOSTATIC HYPOTHESIS: holds that adipose tissue
produces a humoral signal that is proportionate to the
amount of fat and acts on the hypothalamus to
decrease food intake and increase energy output.
(thinner people eat more).
 Cont’d
b. The GUT PEPTIDE HYPOTHESIS: postulates that food in
GIT causes the release of one or more polypeptide that
act on the hypothalamus to inhibit food intake.
c. GLUCOSTATIC HYPOTHESIS: holds that increased glucose
utilization in the hypothalamus produces a sensation of
satiety

d. THE THERMOSTATIC HYPOTHESIS: holds that a fall in body

temperature below a given set point stimulates appetite

and a rise above the set points inhibits appetite.

Neurotransmitters in the Hypothalamus

• The hypothalamus has been referred to as a

“pharmacological museum” by virtue of the plethora of
neurotransmitters that it contains.
•
• The list of putative neurotransmitters includes:
• ACh,
• GABA,
• glutamate,
• serotonin,
• dopamine, and
• norepinephrine as well as literally dozens of peptides that
have been identified in recent years.
Lesions of VMN leads
Lesion of lateral hypothalamic
to morbid obesity area leads to starvation
Thanks for listening
 Efficient management of
resources
provoke the supernatural in
every areas of your life……