hypothalamus
a region of the brain, between the thalamus and the midbrain, that functions as the main control center for the autonomic nervous system by regulating sleep cycles, body temperature, appetite, etc., and that acts as an endocrine gland by producing hormones, including the releasing factors that control the hormonal secretions of the pituitary gland.
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Origin of hypothalamus
1Other words from hypothalamus
- hy·po·tha·lam·ic [hahy-poh-thuh-lam-ik, hip-oh-], /ˌhaɪ poʊ θəˈlæm ɪk, ˌhɪp oʊ-/, adjective
Words Nearby hypothalamus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use hypothalamus in a sentence
When the hypothalamus, a structure in the brain that acts like the control room for the HPA axis, detects high levels of cortisol in the blood, it’s supposed to say “okay, my work is done here,” and shut the stress response down.
Burnout is real. Here’s how to spot it—and recover. | Isobel Whitcomb | November 29, 2021 | Popular-ScienceDexamethasone is a drug that tells the hypothalamus to suppress the stress-response system.
Burnout is real. Here’s how to spot it—and recover. | Isobel Whitcomb | November 29, 2021 | Popular-ScienceOnce the amygdala is activated, it cues the hypothalamus, the hormone-controlling section of the brain, to release adrenaline and prepare our muscles for action.
The hypothalamus becomes super-charged, the dopamine sets to racing—to violins, the piano, anything.
Was The Beatles’ Music Really That Unique? Yeah, It Totally Was. | Michael Tomasky | February 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
British Dictionary definitions for hypothalamus
/ (ˌhaɪpəˈθæləməs) /
a neural control centre at the base of the brain, concerned with hunger, thirst, satiety, and other autonomic functions
Derived forms of hypothalamus
- hypothalamic (ˌhaɪpəθəˈlæmɪk), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for hypothalamus
[ hī′pō-thăl′ə-məs ]
The part of the brain in vertebrate animals that lies below the thalamus and cerebrum. The hypothalamus controls the autonomic nervous system and the secretion of hormones by the pituitary gland. Through these nerve and hormone channels, the hypothalamus regulates many vital biological processes, including body temperature, blood pressure, thirst, hunger, and the sleep-wake cycle.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for hypothalamus
[ (heye-puh-thal-uh-muhs) ]
The part of the brain that controls hunger, thirst, and body temperature and regulates various activities in the body connected with metabolism, including the maintaining of water balance. The hypothalamus also controls the action of the pituitary gland.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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