The hypothalamus is a small area of the brain that controls crucial bodily functions such as metabolism, homeostasis, hunger, thirst, emotions, temperature regulation, sleep cycles, and the pituitary gland. It carries out these functions by coordinating the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system. Studies have shown that exercise can restore sensitivity of neurons involved in satiety, reducing food intake and weight. The hypothalamus, not the amygdala, may control fear responses based on a study where lesions to the hypothalamus eliminated fear in mice. Dysfunctions can cause issues with sleep, hormones, immune function, autonomic function, temperature, and more.

1. The Hypothalamus By Alexander Specking and Michael Sova

2. What and where is it? The small center of the brain also known as the pleasure and pain center. This area manages your extreme feelings, such as rage, joy, aggression and compassion, and your behaviour concerning these emotions.

3. Functions It’s mainly responsible for controlling: Metabolism Homeostasis (constant internal environment) Hunger Thirst Emotions Body temperature regulation Circadian rhythms Sleep patterns & levels of consciousness, including fatigue Blood Pressure Also controls pituitary gland by secreting, producing and discharging, hormones. Because of this it has a great deal of control over many body functions.

4. How does it carry out the functions? Carrying out these functions involves coordinating the activity of the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system, and ultimately influences several important behaviors.

5. Exercising Study: Barreto (2010) Study led by Brazilian researchers at the University of Campinas. They exercised obese rodents and found that they demonstrated signals of restored satiety in hypothalamic neurons and less food intake. “ In obese animals, exercise increased IL-6 and IL-10 protein levels in the hypothalamus, and these molecules were crucial for increasing the sensitivity of the most important hormones, insulin and leptin, which control appetite.” Besides burning calories working out also restores sensitivity of neurons which are involved in the maintenance of satiety, feeling full. This sequentially plays a part in reducing food intake and as a result weight loss. The way exercise affects ones control of their body weight has only now been understood.

6. Depression Study (2008) Chinese investigators from Hefei and Dutch researchers in Amsterdam. Used donated postmortem human brain tissue. Hypothalamus  of critical significance for development of symptoms of depression Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) cells in PVN of human hypothalamus  central driving force of the stress response & hyperactive in depression. Frozen hypothalami of 7 depressed patients and 7 controls obtained. From 16 gene products that were studied, 5 were found to show significant changes. The molecular changes found may not only explain hyperactivity of CRF cells but may also be potential targets for new therapeutic strategies.

7. Fear Study: Swanson (2009) Larry Swanson of University of Southern California studied brain activity of rats & mice exposed to rival rodents or cats defending their territory. New perspective on what part of brain controls fear: hypothalamus, not amygdala. Made lesions in hypothalamus resulted in mice that were not afraid of their predators anymore. The study replicated findings for male rats that wandered into another male's territory. Even when losing vs. other male, the intruders returned.

8. Possible dysfunctions: Some of the physical aspects and causes of Hypothalamic dysfunctions are: Disordered sleep Multiple hormonal dysfunctions Immune dysfunction Autonomic dysfunction Altered body temperatures Head trauma Tumors Malnutrition Infection and swelling