Anatomy of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands

Question 1

What is the superior border of the hypothalamus?

Answer 1

The hypothalamic sulcus.

Question 2

What is the anterior border of the hypothalamus?

Answer 2

The anterior commissure (fiber bundle)

Question 3

What is the anterior/inferior border of the hypothalamus?

Answer 3

The optic chiasm.

Question 4

What is the inferior/posterior border of the hypothalamus?

Answer 4

The mammillary body.

Question 5

What is the lateral boundary of the hypothalamus?

Answer 5

Basal ganglia (large mass of tissue).

Question 6

What is the hypothalamus functionally linked to?

Answer 6

The functions of the “HEAL” mnemonic.

Question 7

What does the H in HEAL stand for?

Answer 7

Homeostatic control (hunger, thirst, ect).

Question 8

What does the E in heal stand for?

Answer 8

Endocrine systems (via pituitary)

Question 9

What does the A in HEAL stand for?

Answer 9

Autonomic control systems and pattern generators

Question 10

What does the L in HEAL stand for?

Answer 10

Limbic mechanisms (generation of emotion driven behaviors, semantic memory).

Question 11

What are the divisions of the medial hypothalamus?

Answer 11

• Preoptic
• Anterior
• Middle
• Posterior

Question 12

What is the anterior division of the medial hypothalamus also called?

Answer 12

The supraoptic region.

Question 13

What is the middle division of the medial hypothalamus also called?

Answer 13

The tuberal region.

Question 14

What is the posterior division of the medial hypothalamus also called?

Answer 14

The mammillary region.

Question 15

What portion of the hypothalamus does the pituitary attach/arise from?

Answer 15

The middle (tuberal) region.

Question 16

What is the posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis) divided into?

Answer 16

The infundibular stalk and posterior lobe.

Question 17

What is the fiber tract that runs in a rostrocaudal direction through the lateral hypothalamus?

Answer 17

The median forebrain bundle.

Question 18

What is the cerebral ventricle related to the hypothalamus?

Answer 18

The third ventricle.

Question 19

What is the subarachnoid cistern associated with the hypothalamus?

Answer 19

The suprastellar cistern.

Question 20

What is the suprastellar cistern?

Answer 20

A CSF filled cistern located above the sella turcica and underneath the hypothalamus. Is one of the subdivisions of the interpenduncular cistern.

Question 21

What is the diaphragma sellae?

Answer 21

A CT sheath that separates the pituitary gland from the interpenduncular cistern.

Question 22

What branches from the circle of willis supply the anterior hypothalamus?

Answer 22

The anterior hypothalamus is supplied by the anterior cerebral arteries (left and right) and the anterior communicating artery.

Question 23

What branches from the circle of willis supply the tubular hypothalamus?

Answer 23

The middle hypothalamus is supplied by the internal carotid arteries (left and right) as well as the posterior communicating artery.

Question 24

What branches from the circle of willis supply the posterior hypothalamus?

Answer 24

The posterior hypothalamus is supplied by the posterior cerebral arteries (left and right) and the posterior communicating arteries (left and right).

Question 25

What is the meningeal space that fills with blood when a circle of willis aneurysm ruptures?

Answer 25

The subarachnoid space.

Question 26

What is the shape of an epidural hematoma?

Answer 26

It is biconvex due to the periosteum attachments at the suture lines.

Question 27

What is the shape of a subdural hematoma?

Answer 27

They are crescent shaped.

Question 28

What does a subarachnoid hematoma present with?

Answer 28

Blood filled sulci.

Question 29

What artery supplies the first capillary bed of of the hypophyseal portal system?

Answer 29

The superior hypophyseal artery (branch of the internal carotid that supplies the anterior pituitary).

Question 30

What part of the pituitary stalk does not posses a blood brain barrier?

Answer 30

The median eminence.

Question 31

What hypothalamic nuclei projects axons to the posterior pituitary?

Answer 31

The paraventricular nucleus and supra-optic nucleus (oxytocin and ADH respectively).

Question 32

What hypothalamic nucleus projects axons to the median eminence?

Answer 32

The Medial Preoptic, Paraventricular (Parvocellularis), Arcuate, and Periventricular Nuclei. Release neurohormones that control anterior pituitary function (medial eminence to portal veins).

Question 33

What is the nasal sinus subjacent to the pituitary gland?

Answer 33

The sphenoid sinus.

Question 34

What drains the cavernous sinus?

Answer 34

The superior and inferior petrosal sinuses which ultimately drain into the internal jugular vein.

Question 35

What also drains the cavernous sinus?

Answer 35

The pterygoid plexus via the ophthalmic veins (act as emissary veins).

Question 36

What is the interior border of the hypothalamus?

Answer 36

The infundibulum.

Question 37

What portion of the hypothalamus is divided into anterior, middle, and posterior parts?

Answer 37

The medial hypothalamus.

Question 38

What fiber tracts separate the medial hypothalamus from the lateral hypothalamus.

Answer 38

The fornix (fiber bundle from the hippocampus) and the mammillothalamic tract.