The hypothalamus is a small area in the center of the brain. It helps produce hormones that regulate heart rate, body temperature, hunger, and the sleep-wake cycle.
When the hypothalamus is not working properly, it can cause problems in the body that lead to a wide range of rare disorders.
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The hypothalamus’ main role is to keep the body in
The hypothalamus works between the endocrine and nervous systems. The endocrine system is a network of hormone-producing glands and organs that help regulate bodily functions.
As different systems and parts of the body send signals to the brain, they can alert the hypothalamus to any unbalanced factors that need addressing. The hypothalamus responds by stimulating relevant endocrine activity to address this balance.
For example, if the hypothalamus receives a signal that the internal temperature is too high, it will tell the body to sweat. If it receives the signal that the temperature is too cold, the body will create its own heat by shivering.
It also plays a role in:
To maintain homeostasis, the hypothalamus
This includes the thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries (in females), and testis (in males). The endocrine system is responsible for maintaining blood pressure, heart rate, production of digestive enzymes, and maintaining balanced body fluids.
Interaction with the pituitary gland
In conjunction with the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus secretes the following hormones:
- Antidiuretic hormone (ADH): This hormone helps to regulate the amount of water in the body. This helps with blood pressure control.
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH): This is a hormone that helps regulate metabolism and immune response by working with the pituitary gland and adrenal gland to release certain steroids, particularly in response to stress.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone: This causes the pituitary gland to release hormones that keep the sexual organs for both men and women working properly.
- Oxytocin: This hormone is involved in several processes. Mainly, it facilitates childbirth and the release of a mother’s breast milk.
- Prolactin-controlling hormones: These are hormones such as dopamine and estrogen that tell the pituitary gland to either start or stop breast milk production in lactating mothers.
- Thyrotropin-releasing hormone: This hormone is the master regulator of the thyroid. The thyroid regulates metabolism, energy levels, and developmental growth.
The hypothalamus also directly influences growth hormones. It commands the pituitary gland to either increase or decrease levels in the body,
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The hypothalamus also serves the vital purpose of signaling that the pituitary gland should release hormones to the rest of the endocrine system. As it is difficult for doctors to diagnose a specific, incorrectly functioning gland, these disorders are often called
In these cases, there are some hormone tests that doctors might order to get to the root of the disorder.
Some hypothalamic diseases have a
Hypothalamus problems also appear to have a genetic link in Prader-Willi Syndrome. This is a condition in which a missing chromosome leads to short stature and hypothalamic dysfunction.
Physical damage to the hypothalamus
One of the most common causes of hypothalamic dysfunction is traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is a
There appears to be a high prevalence of hypopituitarism following a TBI. This could be secondary to damage to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland directly. It is also believed that
Sheehan syndrome is another condition that can lead to hypopituitarism. This condition involves necrosis of the pituitary gland due to excessive blood loss in childbirth.
Because this disorder can easily be treated with hormone replacement therapy, people should be closely monitored for up to a year after a TBI for early detection and treatment of hypothalamic or pituitary dysfunction.
Additional causes of hypothalamic dysfunction may include:
Symptoms of
Children might show signs of abnormal growth and abnormal puberty. Adults might show symptoms linked to the various hormones their bodies cannot produce.
There is usually a traceable link between the absent hormones and the symptoms they produce in the body. Tumor symptoms might include visual disturbances, seizures, or headaches.
If the sex hormones are affected, symptoms might present as erectile dysfunction or decreased libido. Low adrenal function might produce symptoms such as weakness and dizziness.
Symptoms caused by an overactive thyroid gland may include:
The hypothalamus controls appetite, and foods in the diet influence the hypothalamus.
Diets high in polyunsaturated fats, like omega-3 fatty acids, can help to
The hypothalamus is in a small area in the brain’s center. It is essential in many body functions, from growth and development to mood, heart health, and childbirth.
There is an important relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and dysfunction of one will lead to dysfunction of the other. Together, with other essential glands, they make up the body’s vital endocrine system.
When the hypothalamus is not functioning correctly, it can affect essential moving parts of the human organism. Dysfunction can be the result of disease or trauma.