Periventricular nucleus

The Periventricular nucleus (pronunciation: per-ih-ven-TRIK-yuh-lar NOO-klee-us) is a thin sheet of neurons adjacent to the wall of the third ventricle and is part of the hypothalamus.

Etymology

The term "Periventricular nucleus" is derived from the Latin words "peri" meaning around or surrounding, "ventriculus" meaning small belly or cavity, and "nucleus" meaning kernel or core. This refers to the location of the periventricular nucleus surrounding the ventricles in the brain.

Function

The Periventricular nucleus plays a crucial role in the regulation of the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and circadian rhythms. It is involved in a variety of physiological processes, including thermoregulation, feeding behavior, and stress response.

Related Terms

Hypothalamus: A region of the brain that controls an immense range of bodily functions. It is located in the middle of the base of the brain, and encapsulates the ventral part of the third ventricle.
Autonomic nervous system: The part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes.
Endocrine system: The collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among other things.
Circadian rhythms: Physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle. They respond primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment.
Thermoregulation: The ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different.
Feeding behavior: The set of behaviors performed by organisms to feed themselves.
Stress response: The physiological changes associated with stress.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Periventricular nucleus
Wikipedia's article - Periventricular nucleus

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Periventricular nucleus