What is the hypothalamus?
The hypothalamus is a structure deep within your brain. It’s the main link between your endocrine system and your nervous system. Your hypothalamus keeps your body balanced in a stable state called homeostasis.
What does your hypothalamus do?
Your hypothalamus receives chemical messages from nerve cells in your brain and from nerve cells in your body (your peripheral nervous system), which is also responding to signals outside your body.
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Your hypothalamus’s main function is to react to these messages to keep your body in a stable state or internal balance. Just like you may have a “smart control” system to seamlessly manage all functions in your home, your hypothalamus is your body’s “smart control” coordinating center. Your hypothalamus helps manage your:
- Body temperature.
- Blood pressure.
- Hunger and thirst.
- Sense of fullness when eating.
- Mood.
- Sex drive.
- Sleep.
Your hypothalamus performs many of its “body balancing” jobs either by directly influencing the autonomic nervous system or by managing hormones. Your autonomic nervous system (bodily functions that work automatically) control several important functions, such as your heart rate and breathing (respiration).
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Hormones are the “chemical messengers” that travel in your bloodstream to another part of your body. Hormones communicate either with another endocrine gland (which release other hormones) or with a specific organ.
Your hypothalamus:
- Makes some hormones itself that are stored elsewhere (in your posterior pituitary).
- Sends signals (hormones) to your pituitary gland, which either releases hormones that directly affect a part of your body or sends another signal (hormone) to a different gland in your body that then releases its hormone.
How does the hypothalamus interact with the pituitary gland?
Your pituitary gland sits just below your hypothalamus. It consists of two lobes, called the anterior pituitary and posterior pituitary. Your hypothalamus is connected to and communicates with your anterior lobe through a network of blood vessels. It communicates with your posterior lobe by tissue called the pituitary stalk.
Your hypothalamus sends signals in the form of releasing hormones to tell the anterior and posterior pituitary when to release (secrete) its hormones.
Anterior pituitary
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This chart shows the hormones released by your hypothalamus to your anterior pituitary, the hormone the pituitary releases in turn and what the hormone does.
Posterior pituitary
Your hypothalamus makes two hormones but stores them in the posterior pituitary. When these hormones are needed, your hypothalamus sends a signal to the posterior pituitary to release them into the bloodstream. These two hormones are:
- Oxytocin: This hormone assists in the birthing process (stimulates uterine muscle contraction) and in lactation (release of breast milk). It’s also thought to play a role in human bonding, sexual arousal, trust, recognition, sleep cycle and feelings of well-being.
- Vasopressin: This hormone, also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH), regulates control of your body’s water/urine volume and blood pressure.
Other roles of the hypothalamus
Your hypothalamus also produces these hormones:
- Dopamine. Dopamine is the “feel-good” hormone. It gives you a sense of pleasure. It gives you the motivation to do something when you are feeling pleasure. Dopamine signals the pituitary to stop releasing prolactin.
- Somatostatin. This hormone prevents the secretion of several other hormones, including growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, cholecystokinin and insulin. In turn, all of these hormones control the production of somatostatin.
Your hypothalamus also corrects any imbalances in body temperature, stress and your daily bodily rhythms.
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