Neuroanatomy I Hypothalamus Quiz

What does hypothalamus translate to?

below the thalamus

What forms the floor for the third ventricle and portions of the third ventricles lateral walls?

hypothalamus

What is the size of the hypothalamus?

small (4 oz) but very significant

Is the infundibular stalk part of the hypothalamus' structure?

yes

Is the optic chiasma part of the hypothalamus' structure?

yes

Is the pituitary gland part of the hypothalamus' structure?

no

What are the two zones that the hypothalamus consists of?

medial and lateral zones

Which zone of the thalamus can be subdivided into anterior, intermediate, and posterior areas?

medial zone

What are the 3 subdivisions of the hypothalamus' medial zone?

anterior, intermediate, and posterior areas

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Does the hypothalamus work unaided or uninfluenced from other centers?

no

What are the basic drives that the hypothalamus has vague control over?

hunger, thirst, and sex

Which aspects of emotional expression does the hypothalamus control?

physical aspects (e.g. crying when sad)

What has central control over visceral (autonomic) functions?

hypothalamus

The hypothalamus has central control over what functions?

visceral (autonomic) functions

Which areas of the hypothalamus have parasympathetic control?

anterior and intermediate areas (tuber cinereum included)

How does the hypothalamus' parasympathetic control affect digestive motility?

increases digestive motility

How does the hypothalamus' parasympathetic control affect heart rate?

decreases heart rate

How does the hypothalamus' parasympathetic control affect the pupil?

constriction of the pupil

Which areas of the hypothalamus have sympathetic control?

posterior area (includes the posterior nuclei and the mammillary bodies)

How does the hypothalamus' sympathetic control affect heart rate and vasoconstriction?

increases heart rate and vasoconstriction

How does the hypothalamus' sympathetic control affect digestive motility?

decreases digestive motility

How does the hypothalamus' sympathetic control affect the pupil?

dilates the pupil

How does the hypothalamus' sympathetic control affect hairs of the skin and the muscles (arrectores pilorum) controlling them?

piloerection (goose bumps)

How does the hypothalamus' sympathetic control affect sweat gland (sudomotor) secretions?

activates sweat gland (sudomotor) secretions

How does the hypothalamus show DIRECT endocrine control?

via neuron axon extensions into the posterior pituitary

How does the hypothalamus' show indirect endocrine control?

via neurohormones to control the release of anterior pituitary hormones

What is the area in the hypothalamus just above the optic chiasma?

anterior area

What nuclei are found in the anterior area of the hypothalamus?

supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), anterior nucleus, and preoptic area (nucleus)

Which nuclei send axons down through the infundibular stalk via the hypothalamohypophyseal or supra-optichypophyseal tract?

supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei

Where does the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei terminate, and what do they release?

in the posterior pituitary where they both are capable of releasing oxytocin and antidiuretic hormones (ADH)

Where are oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone stored?

posterior pituitary

What hormone secreted by the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei stimulates uterine contractions and milk letdown and ejection?

oxytocin

What hormone secreted by the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei increases water reabsorption at the kidney?

antidiuretic hormones (ADH)

What nucleus is responsible for much of our circadial (daily) 24-25 hour rhythms such as temperature, sleep, light, feeding, etc.?

suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN)

Other than the hypothalamus, what is the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) complexly connected to?

pineal gland and its secretions into the bloodstream

Which nuclei is sensitive to light?

suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN)

What nucleus is generally known for parasympathetic functions (some sympathetic)?

anterior nucleus

What nucleus is a thermo-regulator; especially as the body heats up?

preoptic area (nucleus)

What nuclei are found in the intermediate (or central) area of the hypothalamus?

dorsomedial nuclei, ventromedial nuclei, arcuate nuclei, and tuber cinereum

Which nuclei have a significant GI tract parasympathetic influence and are fairly diffuse?

dorsomedial nuclei

Which nuclei are very complex and have many attributes, a center for eating and thirst gratification, "a satiety center" or fullness center?

ventromedial nuclei

Near the infundibular stalk, the intermediate area has a series of small nuclei forming an arch-like shape; what are these nuclei sometimes called?

arcuate nuclei

Where does the arcuate nuclei contribute axons to?

tuberoinfundibular tract

Unlike other tracts which descend to the pituitary, this group of axons terminate and secrete their neurohormones into the perivascular spaces of the infundibular stalk; what is the tract?

tuberoinfundibular tract (axons from arcuate nuclei)

Where do the tuberoinfundibular tract's secreted neurohormones pass to (by way of the bloodstream), and how do the neurohormones affect it?

anterior pituitary where they influence the release of pituitary hormones (GH, FSH, LH)

What are the neurohormones secreted by the tuberoinfundibular tract known as?

releasing factors or "hypothalamic hypophysiotropic hormones"

What is a term used to describe the undulating bulge (barely visible externally) between the infundibular stalk and the large mammillary bodies?

tuber cinereum

What is one of the nuclei that create the "gray swelling" or tuber cinereum?

arcuate nuclei

What region was the tuberoinfundibular tract named for?

tuber cinereum

What nuclei are found in the posterior area of the hypothalamus?

mammillary bodies (hippocampal formation and anterior thalamic nuclei) and posterior nuclei

What area of the medial zone is known for its diverse sympathetic actions?

posterior area

Which nucleus is (with hippocampal formation and anterior thalamic nuclei) important for short-term memory?

mammillary bodies

What area of the hypothalamus is damaged in Korsakovs' syndrome (from alcohol) and results in a loss of short-term memory?

mammillary bodies

What part of the brain is involved with long term memory?

entire brain

What are confabulated memories?

invented memories either anterograde or retrograde

What type of short-term memory loss describes not being able to remember anything after an event (i.e. bike crash)?

anterograde amnesia

What type of short-term memory loss describes not being able to remember anything before an event (i.e. forgetting last 6 months due to a stroke)?

retrograde amnesia

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What would fibers from the hypothalamic nuclei be doing if they descend to specific nuclei for cranial nerve III, VII, IX, or X?

parasympathetic

What would fibers from the hypothalamic nuclei be doing that directly reach the intermediolateral cells of Rexed lamina VII at cord levels T1-L2?

sympathetic

What would fibers from the hypothalamic nuclei be doing that directly reach the intermediolateral cells of Rexed lamina VII at cord levels S2,3,4?

parasympathetic

Where does the posterior pituitary (pars nervosa or neurohypophysis) develop from, embryologically?

diencephalon

Which area embryologically gives rise to the anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis) and intermediate pituitary?

rathke's pouch (at the oropharyngeal membrane)

Which pituitary is a mere extension of the brain and neurons run directly into its substance?

posterior pituitary

Which pituitary must receive its hypothalamic influence via the bloodstream?

anterior pituitary

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What are veins that travel from one set of capillaries to another set of capillaries?

portal veins

In the hypophyseal portal system, where does most blood to the pituitary and its infundibular stalk come from?

branches off the internal carotid arteries

In the hypophyseal portal system, what do the small branches of the internal carotid arteries break into within the infundibular stalk?

highly permeable capillaries called fenestrated sinusoids

In the hypophyseal portal system, what picks up the "releasing factors" from the tuberoinfundibular tract fibers?

fenestrated sinusoids (highly permeable capillaries)

In the hypophyseal portal system, a series of small veins (hypohyseal portal veins) drain the hormone-laden blood to the capillary beds of what pituitary?

anterior pituitary

In the hypophyseal portal system, what are the veins that are actually porting blood between the two capillary beds called?

hypophyseal portal veins (and system)

In the hypophyseal portal system, when the releasing factors enter the substance of the anterior pituitary they exert a controlling influence on what?

the release of pituitary hormones