Hypothalamus

‘In Kallmann’s syndrome,

there is anosmia, and pituitary
hypogonadism, and infertility.
gland
Anatomy lecture 2
By the end of this lecture, you’ll
be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of the
hypothalamus.
• List the different nuclei of the hypothalamus
• Identify the structure and development of the
pituitary gland [hypophysis cerebri].
• Recognize the connections between the
hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Hypothalamus
• It is separated from the
thalamus, by the
hypothalamic sulcus.
• It forms the floor and inferior
part of the lateral wall of the
third ventricle
• It extends from the lamina
terminalis to a vertical plane
behind mamillary body
The interpeduncular fossa
Optic Chiasma

Tuber cinereum Infundibular stalk

Mamillary bodies

Posterior perforated substance

• The hypothalamus receives information
from the rest of the body through
a- Nervous connections.
b- Bloodstream.
c- Cerebrospinal fluid.
• Through these information it carries
many functions.
 Functions of the
Hypothalamus
Despite its very small size of 4 cubic
centimeters It:
• Controls the autonomic nervous
system.
• Controls the endocrine system.
• Regulates fluid and food intake.
• Regulates body temperature.
• Controls emotions, reproduction,
and biological clock.
 Oxytocin ADH

Savage behavior

The hypothalamus
contains a number of Heat conservation

named nuclei that Heat loss

Feeding center
control specific
functions Gonadotropic RH memory

Circadian rhythm
Satiety center

Stimulating & Inhibitory

Nucleus Function
Supraoptic nucleus Synthesizes antidiuretic hormone [ADH]. Regulates
water balance
Paraventricular nucleus Synthesizes oxytocin. Regulate Uterine Contractility and
Milk Ejection from the Breasts.
Preoptic nucleus Regulates the release of gonadotropic hormones

Arcuate nucleus Produces hypothalamic releasing and inhibiting factors

that act on the anterior pituitary. Inhibits prolactin
release via dopamine (prolactin-inhibiting factor)
Anterior nucleus Temperature regulation (heat dissipation). Lesion -
› hyperthermia.
Stimulates parasympathetic nervous system
Posterior nucleus Temperature regulation (heat conservation).
Lesion -› poikilothermia (poor thermoregulation).
Stimulates sympathetic nervous system
Nucleus Function
Feeding center: Stimulation -› increased eating (lateral nucleus
Lateral nucleus causes you to grow laterally). Lesion -> starvation

Ventromedial nucleus Satiety center: Stimulation -› decreased eating (ventromedial

nucleus causes you to shrink medially),
lesion -> obesity, hyperphagia
Dorsomedial nucleus Stimulation → savage behavior

Suprachiasmatic Regulates circadian rhythms (eg, cyclic release of CRH

nucleus “corticotropic-releasing hormone”, melatonin). Input from retina,
output to pineal gland
Mamillary body part of Papez circuit [Hippocampus -› fornix -> mamillary body -›
anterior nucleus of thalamus -› Cingulate gyrus] (memory).
Connections of Hypothalamus
with Pituitary Gland
The
hypothalamus Nerve fibers
is connected
to the pituitary
gland by two Long and short
pathways portal blood vessels
 Paraventricular nucleus
Supraoptic nucleus

Supraoptichypophyseal tract Paraventricularhypophyseal tract

Oxytocin
Vasopressin

Hypothalamohypohyseal tracts
Tuberoinfundibular tract

▪ It contains the axons of

neurons of infundibular
nucleus (arcuate nucleus) . Infundibular nucleus
▪ It terminates in the =
infundibulum Arcuate nucleus
▪ Considered the main route
for synthesis and
transmission of releasing Hypophyseal portal system
hormones and release
inhibiting hormones.
▪ These hormones are carried
by portal blood vessels to Releasing and
the anterior lobe of pituitary Releasing inhibiting
gland hormones
Position
• It is lodged in the hypophyseal
fossa (sella turcica) of the skull .
• It is roofed by the diaphragma
sellae and connected to the
hypothalamus by a hollow
conical stalk called infundibulum
• It is 12mm transversely, 6 mm
vertically ,and 8 mm
anteroposteriorly .
• It is related anteriorly to optic
chiasma, laterally to cavernous
sinus, and inferiorly to the
sphenoid air sinus.
 Structure
Forms 80% Pars distalis
❑The gland is composed of of the gland
two lobes which differ in Anterior lobe
Pars intermedia
their origin, structure and (adenohypophysis)

function.
❑The anterior lobe Pars tuberalis
Pituitary
[adenohypophysis] is an (Hypophysis
ectodermal derivative of cerebri)
Forms 20% Median eminence
the stomodeum of the gland
❑The posterior lobe Posterior lobe
Infundibular stalk
[neurohypophysis] is a (neurohypophysis)

diencephalic downgrowth
connected with the Pars nervosa

hypothalamus.
 Structure
• The main mass of the
adenohypophysis may be divided
into the pars anterior (pars distalis)
and the pars intermedia, which are
separated in fetal and early
postnatal life by the hypophysial
cleft, a vestige of Rathke’s pouch,
from which it develops.
• Surrounding the infundibular stalk
is the pars tuberalis, a component
of the adenohypophysis.

• the term neurohypophysis includes

the median eminence, infundibular
stalk and pars nervosa.
Shape

Ovoid in shape with

the anterior lobe
Anterior
partially embracing lobe
and surrounding the
posterior lobe
Posterior
lobe

The pituitary grand posterior view

Development of Hypophysis Cerebri

It develops
Rathke’s pouch
From 2
ectordrmal
Infundibulum
diverticulae
1- Rathke’s Pouch
The vesicle derived from the pouch differentiates into
The anterior lobe (adenohypophysis)
1 2 3
The pars
distalis The pars The pars
Ectodermal diverticulum from
intermedia tuberalis
the roof of the stomodeum just is an upward
develop from the
in front of buccopharyngeal develops from the extension of the
thick anterior wall
membrane and notochord. posterior wall. wall of the vesicle
of the vesicle
to surround the
It ascends upward toward the
stalk of the
floor of diencephalon. infundibulum.
Its upper end expand to form a
vesicle
Its stalk degenerates and
disappears by the 2nd month
 2- Infundibulum
Finally

Pars
intermedia
Ectodermal diverticulum from
Hypophysis
the floor of the diencephalon
It descends just behind the
Fuses with cerebri
Rathke’s pouch
The lower part of the
diverticulum forms the
pars nervosa
Its upper part forms the Posterior lobe
stalk of infundibulum
Stomodeum
Briefly
Craniopharyngioma
Craniopharyngioma is a
Congenital tumor that
develops
from the remains of
Rathke's pouch
in the region of the
hypothalamus.

Due to the close relation of the pituitary gland to the optic

chiasma and hypothalamus, craniopharyngioma in children and
pituitary adenoma in adults result bitemporal hemianopia and
loss of hypothalamic functions.
 The hypophyseal arteries
supply the neurohypophysis
forming a rich capillary
plexus from which long and
short portal vessels extends
to supply the adenohypophysis
i.e. the adenohypophysis has no
direct arterial supply

The portal system carries

hormone-releasing and
inhibiting factors and these
control the secretory cycles of
cells in the adenohypophysis.
Blood supply
of the pituitary
gland
Long portal veins Superior hypophyseal as.

Short portal veins

Branches
of inferior hypophyseal a.

Dural venous sinuses

 Infundibular or Arcuate
nulceus

In Summary

hypophysial as.
 • ‘Kallmann’s syndrome’ results
Hypothalamus and from lack of proper formation of
pituitary gland the olfactory tract during
development. Hypothalamic
neurons rely on the olfactory tract
to migrate to their destinations.
• In Kallmann’s syndrome, the
gonadotropin-releasing hormone
(GnRH) neurons do not migrate
properly from the olfactory placode
to the hypothalamus. It produces
anosmia, hypogonadism, and
infertility.
A 40-year-old woman who has taken birth control pills has a 4-month
history of amenorrhea and a bitemporal hemianopia. What is the most
likely cause of these deficits?
(A) Aneurysm of the anterior communicating
(B) Cavernous sinus meningioma
(C) Optic glioma
(D) Pituitary adenoma
(E) Sella turcica meningioma
A 40-year-old woman who has taken birth control pills has a 4-month
history of amenorrhea and a bitemporal hemianopia. What is the most
likely cause of these deficits?
(A) Aneurysm of the anterior communicating
(B) Cavernous sinus meningioma
(C) Optic glioma
(D) Pituitary adenoma
(E) Sella turcica meningioma
Thank you