Hypothalamic and Limbic Systems Flashcards
What part of the brain is the hypothalamus?
Diencephalon
Where does the hypothalamus receive and integrate information from?
forebrain, brainstem, spinal cord
Main role of hypothalamus
Homeostasis: water and electrolyte balance, food intake, temperature, BP, circadian rhythm, stress response, body metabolism
Where does the hypothalamus connect to rostrally?
optic chiasm
Where does the hypothalamus connect to caudally?
merges into tegmentum and PAG (midbrain)
The hypothalamus form the floor and ventral wall of what?
3rd ventricle
What is the hypothalamus continuous with?
posterior pituitary through infundibular stalk
What forms the posterior part of the hypothalamus and are next to the cerebral peduncles?
Mammillary bodies
What is the small swelling between the mammillary bodies and optic chiasm and tract?
Tuber cinereum
What arises from the tuber cinereum and narrows into the infundibulum, and attaches to the pituitary gland?
Median eminence
How are the hypothalamic nuclei divided?
Longitudinal divisions
Medial to lateral divisions
What are the longitudinal divisions?
Anterior region: superior to optic chiasm, extending anteriorly to the lamina terminalis
Tuberal region: superior to and including the tuber cinereum
Mammillary/posterior region: superior to and including the mammillary bodies
What are the medial to lateral divisions?
Periventricular zone: periaqueductal gray (midbrain) through the wall of the 3rd ventricle
Fornix is used to divide the remainder of the hypothalamus into medial and lateral zones
What does the lateral zone consist of?
- diffusely arranged neurons with few “named” nuclei
- contains median forebrain bundle
- damage results in a decrease of feeding behavior with a resultant weight loss
What does the medial zone consist of?
- overlaps with anterior to posterior regions
- where neurons are arranged in distinct nuclei
What are the regions of the medial zone?
1) supraoptic region
2) Mammillary/posterior region
3) Tuberal region
Name the specific nuclei of the supraoptic region and their function
1) supraoptic/paraventricular nucleus- contain oxytocin (PVN) and ADH (SON) to send to posterior pituitary (lesions in these nuclei can result in diabetes insipidus, increased water intake, and increased urination
2) suprachiasmatic nucleus- receives retinal input and is involved in circadian rhythms
3) anterior nucleus- range of visceral/somatic functions, temperature regulation
Name the specific nuclei of the mammillary/posterior region and their function
1) medial mammillary nucleus- afferents from the hippocampus via the fornix, efferents to the thalamus and brainstem (lesions= inability to process short term events and put them in long term memory)
Name the specific nuclei of the tuberal region and their function
1) Ventromedial nucleus- satiety center (lesions = excessive eating an abnormal weight gain)
2) Dorsomedial nucleus- subserves functions of emotional behavior; stimulation causes sham rage (lesion = decreased aggression and feeding)
What is the blood supply to the hypothalamus?
small perforating arteries from circle of wills
Blood supply to anteromedial group of hypothalamus?
branches from anterior communicating and anterior cerebral arteries (A1)
What parts of the hypothalamus are supplied by the anterior communicating and anterior cerebral arteries?
- preoptic region
- supraoptic region
- septal nuclei
- rostral portions of lateral hypothalamic area
Blood supply to posteromedial group of hypothalamus
perforating arteries from the posterior communicating artery and posterior cerebral artery (P1)
What parts of the hypothalamus are supplied by the posterior communicating artery?
- rostral portion of posterior communicating artery = tuberal region
- caudal portion of posterior communicating artery = mammillary region
What is the function of the fornix?
-largest single afferent input to the hypothalamus from the subiculum and hippocampus
What is the function of the medial forebrain bundle?
- afferents
- interconnects septal nuclei, hypothalamus, and midbrain tegmentum
- courses through lateral hypothalamic zone