The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and regulates metabolic processes and activities of the autonomic nervous system by secreting hormones that stimulate or inhibit pituitary hormone secretion, controlling body temperature, hunger, sleep, and circadian rhythms. Dysfunction can cause growth or puberty disorders, dementia, appetite/sleep issues, or hormonal deficiencies. A study found that activating the NF-κB inflammatory pathway in mice hypothalami accelerated aging effects, while blocking it slowed aging and increased longevity. The pathway's activation reduced GnRH and neurogenesis, while GnRH injections into aged mice protected against cognitive decline. Preventing hypothalamic inflammation and boosting neurogenesis may increase lifespan and treat age

1. Hypothalamus

2. What is the hypothalamus?
• The hypothalamus is a
portion of the brain that
contains a number of
small nuclei with a
variety of functions.
• One of the most
important functions of
the hypothalamus is to
link the nervous system
to the endocrine system
via the pituitary gland
(hypophysis).

3. Where is the hypothalamus located?
• The hypothalamus is located below the
thalamus and is part of the limbic system.
• In the terminology of neuroanatomy, it forms
the ventral part of the diencephalon.
• All vertebrate brains contain a hypothalamus.
In humans, it is the size of an almond.

4. What is it responsible for?
• The hypothalamus is responsible for the regulation of
certain metabolic processes and other activities of
the autonomic nervous system.
• It synthesizes and secretes certain neurohormones,
called releasing hormones or hypothalamic
hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the
secretion of pituitary hormones.
• The hypothalamus controls body temperature,
hunger, important aspects of parenting and
attachment behaviours, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and
circadian rhythms.

5. What happens if the Hypothalamus is
dysfunctional?
• Children and adolescents usually present with growth failure and
disorders of puberty, which can be both delayed and precious.
• Adults with hypothalamic dysfunction can present with dementia,
disturbances in appetite and sleep, as well as hormonal deficiencies.
• Causes of hypothalamic damage, particularly the anterior
hypothalamus, include tumours such as craniopharyngiomas, optic
nerve gliomas, and inflammatory conditions such as histiocytosis and
sarcoidosis.

6. Hypothalamus: It may hold key to aging
• To find out how the hypothalamus might
affect aging, a researcher decided to study
hypothalamic inflammation by focusing on a
protein complex called NF-κB (nuclear factor
kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B
cells). "Inflammation involves hundreds of
molecules, and NF-κB sits right at the center
of that regulatory map," he said.

7. What did they demonstrate?
• In the current study, the researcher and
his team demonstrated that activating the
NF-κB pathway in the hypothalamus of
mice significantly accelerated the
development of aging, as shown by
various physiological, cognitive, and
behavioral tests. "The mice showed a
decrease in muscle strength and size, in
skin thickness, and in their ability to learn
-- all indicators of aging. Activating this
pathway promoted systemic aging that
shortened the lifespan," he said.
• Conversely, they found that blocking the
NF-κB pathway in the hypothalamus of
mouse brains slowed aging and increased
median longevity by about 20 percent,
compared to controls.

8. • The researchers also found that activating
the NF-κB pathway in the hypothalamus
caused declines in levels of gonadotropin-
releasing hormone (GnRH), which is
synthesized in the hypothalamus. Release
of GnRH into the blood is usually
associated with reproduction.
• Suspecting that reduced release of GnRH
from the brain might contribute to whole-
body aging, the researchers injected the
hormone into a hypothalamic ventricle
(chamber) of aged mice and made the
striking observation that the hormone
injections protected them from the
impaired neurogenesis (the creation of
new neurons in the brain) associated with
aging.
• When aged mice received daily GnRH
injections for a prolonged period, this
therapy exerted benefits that included the
slowing of age-related cognitive decline,
probably the result of neurogenesis.

9. Conclusion?
• Preventing the hypothalamus
from causing inflammation and
increasing neurogenesis via
GnRH therapy are two potential
strategies for increasing lifespan
and treating age-related
diseases.