Hypothalamus Flashcards
Describe the function of the hypothalamus.
Sets baseline. Drives complex, coordinated sets of actions. Homestatic drives (maintains physiological homeostasis), species survival drives (sex, social etc.), and part of "emotional brain" (highly connected with reward systems).
Describe the location of the hypothalamus and its gross anatomy
Right around 3rd ventricle. Divided into clusters of cells = nuclei. Nuclei are NOT morphologically distinct (i.e. no 1 nucleus does 1 thing).
What are the hypothalamic inputs?
Hippocampus, cortex, midbrain, amygdala, and eye.
What fibers connect hippocampus to hypothalamus?
Fornix
What fibers connect cortex to hypothalamus?
Cortico-hypothalamic tract
What fibers connect Amygdala to hypothalamus?
Stria terminalis, diagonal band of broca, and median forebrain bundle.
What fibers connect eye to hypothalamus?
Retino-hypothalamus tract
What are the hypothalamic outputs?
Cortex, thalamus, midbrain, amygdala, and spinal cord.
What fibers connect hypothalamus to midbrain?
Dorsal-longitudinal fasciculus of schutz.
What fibers connect hypothalamus to amygdala efferent?
Median forebrain bundle
What efferent fibers connect hypothalamus to spinal cord?
Hypothalamo-spinal tract.
Discuss the function of mammillary bodies.
They are a hypothalamic output. Function in recollective memory and spatial memory via mammillothalamic and mammillotegmental tracts.
Describe the papez circuit
It is the Limbic “system”.
Cingulate gyrus -> hippocampus -> mammillary bodies (hypothalamus) -> thalamus anterior nuclei -> beginning
Define “period” and “frequency” in regards to biological rhythms.
Period: time to complete one full cycle.
Frequency: # of cycles per unit time.
Describe length of time and examples of Ultradian rhythm
