Structures In The Brain

Different Structures Within the Brain

I will be describing the different the structures and areas within the brain in detail, thalamus, hypothalamus, endocrine and limbic systems. I will also discuss the location in the brain and their functions, disorders pathology related to damage to these structures. Lastly I will describe the functions of the right and left hemispheres within the brain.

Thalamus is the subcortical structure that relays incoming sensory information to the cerebral cortex and other parts of the brain (Davis & Palladino). Since so much information comes and goes out of the thalamus, it is called the brains great relay station. A larger number of nerve fibers radiate from the thalamus and route information to specific areas of the cerebral cortex (Davis & Palladino). Nerve tracts bring sensory information up the spinal cord and then through the brain stem. Now when these tracts reach the thalamus each goes to an area that is approprate for the information it is carrying (Davis & Palladino). There is an area for vision, hearing, taste, touch and other senses expect the sense to smell.

The thalamic syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which the body becomes hypersensitive to pain as a result of damage to the thalamus. Primary symptoms are pain and loss of sensation, usually in the face, arms and legs ( bchealthguide.org). The location of the thalamus is almost the exact center of the brain.

Some neurons in the hypothalamus are involved in the control or arousal, emotionally, food and water intake, sexual behavior and temperature. Other hypothalamic neurons control pituitary hormone production and release (Davis & Palladino). The hypothalamus is located deep inside the brain, this small gland actually has multiple roles. It is a endocrine gland and a key canter for a wide variety of behaviors related to survival. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary to release hormones that have a range of effects (Davis & Palladino). The hypothalamus must receive inputs about the state of the body, and must be able to initate compensatory changes if anything drifts out of whack. After receiving the signal from the spinal cord, the hypothalamus decides what to "fix" and then sends a signal back through the spinal cord organs telling them what to do (heumann.org).

Damage to the hypothalamus can result from surgery, trauma such as an accident or stroke, degeneration due to old age or disease, or tumor. Diabetes insipidus can be caused by hypothalamic tract. This disease reduces vasopressin production, resulting in large amounts of urine being produced at all times. Other hypothalamic disorders can include sexual abnormalities, obesity, anorexia and sleep disorders (heumann.org).

Endocrine consist of glands that produce an secrete chemicals called hormones that can have effects some distance from the gland that secreted the hormone (Davis & Palladino). When stimulated, the endocrine glands release more than 20 major hormones directly into the bloodstream where they can be transported to cells in other parts of the body (kidshealth.org). There are many diseases of the endocrine such as pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Any one of the cells which secrete hormones may be transformed into a tumor which over secretes the hormone. The tumors are named glucagonoma, insulinoma, gastrinoma and somotstatinoma. Endocrine pancreatic tumors can also arise which d not secrete any of these hormones. Most pancreatic endocrine tumors require surgical resection by a endocrine surgeon (mc.vanderbilt.edu). Things can go wrong with the endocrine system too, for instance too much or too little of any hormone can be harmful to the body. If the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone,