ANATOMY OF THE

HYPOTHALAMUS

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

M.T. GARDNER
Oct 2019
HYPOTHALAMIC SULCUS

Lamina terminalis

Rostral extent of the

aqueduct of Sylvius
 Hypothalamic Thalamus
Fornix Sulcus

Pineal

Hypothalamus

Aqueduct
of Sylvius

Lamina Infundibulum Mamillary Body

Optic Chiasma
Terminalis
 MEDIAN EMMINENCE

PITUITARY
STALK

TUBER CINEREUM
 Surface Anatomy of the
Hypothalamus
• Is visible only from the ventral aspect of
the undissected brain
• Lies between the optic chiasma and the
posterior perforated substance
• Includes the following ventral surface
structures – infundibulum, tuber cinereum
(includes the median eminence which
contains the arcuate nucleus)
• Mamillary bodies
Forrnix connects
Hippocampus to
mamillary body of
Hypothalamus
 Topographical Relations of the
Hypothalamus
• Superiorly: Thalamus (sup. to the
hypothalamic sulcus)

• Laterally: Internal capsule

• Medially: Lateral wall of third ventricle

covered by ependyma
 ?

?
?
?
 Topographical Relations of the
Hypothalamus

• Anteriorly: extends up to the lamina

terminalis and merges with the
olfactory area at the ant.
perforated substance
 Topographical Relations of the
Hypothalamus

• Posteriorly: continuous with the

Subthalamus and tegmentum
of the midbrain – also to the
sup. extent of the aqueduct of
Sylvius

The floor of the third ventricle can also be

considered as a part of the Hypothalamus
REVIEW LATERL / MEDIAL RELATIONS - HOT SLIDE !!!!!
THALAMUS
INTERNAL CAPSULE

FRONTAL SECTION

III VENTRICLE

Hypothalamic sulcus
Hypothalamus
 THALAMUS – inferior to this
HYPOTHALAMUS – Int Capsule lateral to
the Hypothalamus
III VENTRICL

FORNIX

POSTERIOR LIMB OF THE INTERNAL CAPSULE

Horizontal Section through the Brain
 Divisions of the Hypothalamus
1. Various ways to subdivide – generally
into a MEDIAL and LATERAL ZONES,
the column of the fornix occurring (in
part) in between these two zones.

2. Further subdivided into 4 zones or

regions in a rostro-caudal direction each
having specific nuclei.
FORNIX
 Fornix
Thalamus

Hypothalamic Sulcus

Ant. Commissure

Lamina Terminalis

Mamillary Body

Optic Chiasma
 Hypothalamus
• What exactly is a NUCLEUS ?????
this term will be used repeatedly in this
lecture.

• It is an accumulation (group) of neuronal

cell bodies within the CNS (in this case in
the brain itself)

• An accumulation (group) of neuronal cell

bodies in the PNS is referred to as a
ganglion.
 Divisions of the Hypothalamus
A. Preoptic Region:
- Preoptic nucleus

B. Supraoptic Region:
- Suprachiasmatic nucleus
- Supraoptic
- Paraventricular
- Ant nucleus
- Periventricular cell groups
 Divisions of the Hypothalamus

C. Tuberal Region:
- Dorsomedial
- Ventromedial
- Arcuate (infundibular)
- Premamillary
- Lateral Tuberal
Divisions of the Hypothalamus

D. Mamillary Region:
- Posterior
- Mamillary nucleus
 Fornix
Thalamus

Hypothalamic Sulcus

Ant. Commissure

Lamina Terminalis

Mamillary Body

Optic Chiasma
 Preoptic region
Preoptic Area
PREOPTIC NUCLEUS
- Contains sexual dimorphic nucleus
- Regulates release of gonadotropin
releasing hormones

- Research done on this nucleus esp in

relation to sexual orientation – larger in the
males)
 SUPRAOPTIC REGION
1. Paraventricular and 2 .Supraoptic Nuclei:
- Regulate water balance
- Produce ADH and oxytocin
- Destruction causes diabetes insipidus

3. Anterior Nucleus:
- Stimulates parasympathetic NS
- Thermal regulation (heat dissipation)
- Destruction results in hyperthermia
 SUPRAOPTIC REGION

• Corticotropin-releasing hormone
CRH is secreted by the paraventricular
nucleus (PVN) of the surraoptic region
of the hypothalamus in response to
stress
TOO MUCH STRESS – NOT GOOD
HERE IS THE REMEDY !!!!!!!!
 SUPRAOPTIC REGION

4. Suprachiasmatic Nucleus:
- Receives input from retina
- Controls circadian rhythms
- important role in regulating
secretion of MELATONIN from
the Pineal gland.
 TUBERAL REGION
1. Dorsomedial Nucleus:
- CONTROL OF EATING
- Stimulation results in obesity and
savage behaviour
2 Ventromedial Nucleus:
- Satiety center
- Destruction results in obesity and savage
behaviour

3. Arcuate Nucleus:
- Produces hypothalmic releasing factors
- Contains DOPA-ergic neurons that inhibit
prolactin release
 MAMILLARY REGION
1. Mamillary nucleus:
- Receives input from hippocampal formation
- contains hemorrhagic lesions in Wernicke’s
encephalopathy

2. Posterior Nucleus:
- Stimulates the Sympathetic NS
- Thermal regulation (heat conservation)
- Destruction results in inability to
thermoregulate
 LATERAL ZONE
• Lateral nucleus

- important role in feeding behavior

- destruction results in starvation
ANOREXIA NERVOSA occurring in
problems associated with the
LATERAL nucleus
 Paraventricular

Supraoptic

Pars tuberalis

Pars intermedius

Pars distalis

Cleft Pars nervosa

Adenohypophysis Neurohypophysis
 Hypothalamic Thalamus
Fornix Sulcus

Pineal

Hypothalamus

Aqueduct
of Sylvius

Lamina Infundibulum Mamillary Body

Optic Chiasma
Terminalis
Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa
http://daysofourlife.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/anorexic.jpg
Feeling great ……………….……VERY GOOD !!!!

http://www.rooshv.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/fat-brazilian-woman.jpg
AFFERENTS – TRACTS
ENDING IN THE HYPOTHALAMUS
 Major Afferents
1. Fornix: A projection fibre system from the
Hippocampus

2. Stria Terminalis: From the Amygdaloid nuc

3. Medial Forebrain Bundle: From the Septal

area

4. Ventral Amygdalofugal Fibres: Also from the

Amygdala
 Major Afferents
5. Periventricular Fibres: From the Medial
nucleus of the thalamus (this nucleus
has rich interconnections with the
prefrontal cortex of the brain)

6. Pallido-Hypothalamic Fibres

7. Autonomic Ascending Input

 Major Afferents
Of great importance is the circulating
blood through the capillary bed of the
various hypothalamic nuclei resulting
in stimulation/ inhibition. The
importance of no blood brain barrier
e.g. in the median eminence is of great
physiological significance.
 Hypothalamic Thalamus
Fornix Sulcus

Pineal

Hypothalamus

Aqueduct
of Sylvius

Lamina Infundibulum Mamillary Body

Optic Chiasma
Terminalis
EFFERENTS
OUTPUTS
 Major Efferents
1. Mamillothalamic tract: to the anterior
nucleus of the thalamus (part Circle of
Papez)

2. Mamillotegmental Pathway: to reticular

formation and autonomic centers in the
brain stem and spinal cord (polysynaptic)
e.g. reticulospinal to parasympathetic
S234
 Major Efferents
3. Supraoptico / paraventicular / hypophyseal
tracts: release of oxytocin and vasopressin
from the pars nervosa

4. Fornix efferents back to hippocampus

5. To Subthalamic nuclei

6. Projection to neocotex (cortico arousal role)

 Major Efferents
7. Periventricular fibres descend in the
dorsal longitudinal fasciculus to
reticular formation (overlap with
Mamillotegmental fibres?)

8. Stria terminalis: reciprocal connection

with the Amygdala
 Arterial Blood Supply
• The supraclinoid or cerebral part of the
internal carotid artery gives off the superior
hypophyseal arteries. These break up in the
region of the median eminence in to a
capillary plexus which lacks a blood brain
barrier (BBB). From here porto hypophyseal
vessels descend along the infundibular stalk
to break up into a second capillary plexus in
the adenohypophysis (portohypophyseal
system).
The Fornix a
major projection
pathway from the
hippocampus to
the mamillary
body
 Question

The hypothalamus:
a. Receives afferent fibres from the amygdaloid
body through the fornix

b. Sends efferent fibres to the anterior lobe of the

pituitary in the supra – opticohypophyseal tract

c. Sends efferent fibres to the cerebral cortex in

the median forenrain bundle

d. Is related posteroinferiorly to the posterior

perforated substance
 Answers
a. F – The fibres from the amygdaloid body pass in the
stria terminalis. The fornix carries fibres from the
hippocampus to the hypothalamus

b. F - The tract passes to the posterior lobe

c. F - The bundle and the dorsal longitudinal fasciculus

pass from the hypothalamus to the midbrain reticular
nuclei

d. F – This perforated substance is further back in the

interpenducluar fossa and underlies the adjacent
subthalamus and midbrain
I WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
GOOGLE IMAGES AND PICTURES FROM
NETTER’S ANATOMY ATLAS USED HERE.