Overview of Hypothalamic Nuclei
At the most posterior end of the hypothalamus, the mammillary bodies form a prominent pair of protuberances along the base of the brain. Despite having very clear-cut, heavily myelinated connections,…
Hypothalamic Control of the Pituitary Gland
The magnocellular neurons consist of two clusters: the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. Each cell group contains both oxytocin (OXY) and vasopressin (VP) neurons. These cells secrete the hormones from their…
Blood Supply of the Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland
The anterior part of the hypothalamus, above the optic chiasm, is supplied by arterial feeding vessels from the anterior cerebral artery. These vessels densely penetrate the basal forebrain just in…
General Topography of the Hypothalamus
In general, the hypothalamus can be divided into three tiers of nuclei. Most medially, along the wall of the third ventricle, is the periventricular nucleus, shown here in green. Along…
Development and Developmental Disorders of the Hypothalamus
First, the prechordal mesoderm that underlies the developing neural tube secretes sonic hedgehog (Shh) that induces the normal patterning of the anterior midline of the brain, including the formation of…
Anatomic Relationships of the Hypothalamus
Perhaps for this reason, the hypothalamus is particularly well protected. It lies at the base of the skull, just above the pituitary gland, to which it is attached by the…
Child Abuse: Fractures in Abused Children
The National Child Abuse and Neglect System (NCANDS) of the Administration of Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) Annual Report 2009 indicates that there were 9.3 unique abuse victims confirmed per…
Child Abuse: Staging of Injuries and Injury Patterns
Treatment. The first step after identification of suspected abuse is reporting to a child protective service (CPS) agency. The CPS will carry out a thorough investigation of the suspected person(s)…
Pediatrics: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Clinical Presentation. Four types of ADHD are recognized. ADHD, as the predominantly inattentive type, is characterized by a persistent pattern of poor attention and lack of motivation, particularly when sustained…
Pediatrics: Eating Disorders
Clinical Presentation. There are two primary eating disorders: anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). A third category, eating disorder not otherwise specified (ED NOS), represents those disorders not meeting…
