Brain Tour : Our Brain : The Principal Part of the Brain :

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus (hypo=under) is the small portion of the diencephalon that lies below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland, the "master gland" of the body.

Despite its small size, the nuclei of the hypothalamus control many body activities, most of them related to homeostasis.

Here is a list of the functions of the hypothalamus:

1) The hypothalamus controls and integrates activities of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates activities such as heart rate, movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract and contraction of the urinary bladder.

2) It controls the release of many hormones from the pituitary gland and thus serves as a primary connection between the nervous system and endocrine system. These systems are considered the major control systems of the body.

3) It controls normal body temperature.

4) It is associated with feelings of rage, aggression, pain and pleasure.

5) It regulates food intake through two centres. The feeding (hunger) centre is responsible for hunger sensations. When sufficient food had been ingested, the satiety (satis=full, satisfied) centre is stimulated and sends out nerve impulses that inhibit the feeding centre

6) It contains a thirst centre that regulates the intake of liquids.

7) It is one of the areas of the brain that maintains consciousness and sleep patterns.

Related links
Brain Tour : Our Brain : Looking at the Cerebrum : The Emotional Brain
The Hypothalamus and the thalamus are part of the "emotional brain" - the limbic system. Read about how things get steamy!