Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypothalamic Disease

Abstract

Anatomo-functional studies on the hypothalamus have faced major difficulties, because this organ cannot, as far as function is concerned, be considered like the cerebral cortex, where the homunculus could be mapped, with usually well-determined brain regions corresponding to somatic or visceral afferent or efferent projections, according to an established map. This may be because of the proximity of the hypothalamic nuclei to afferent and efferent paths of the cortex, thalamus, limbic system, and spinal cord; all occurring in a rather limited region, measuring 1.5 × 1.5 × 1.3 cm, weighing approximately 2.5 g and divided into three zones (periventricular, medial and lateral) and four regions (preoptic, supraoptic, tuberal, and mamillary.) In Table 1, we describe the several hypothalamic regions or nuclei involved in different functions, according to studies conducted both in human beings and other animals.