Hypothalamic Lesion :: Medicine Health Research

Hypothalamic Lesion from the Perspective of Neurologist and Neurosurgeon The hypothalamus is a substructure of the diencephalon and acts as one of the most significant control centers of the brain. It is located inferior to the thalamus, encapsulates the ventral portion of the third ventricle, and lies just superior to the pituitary gland, which it has direct regulatory control over (Gunderson, 1996). Neurosecretory neurons in the hypothalamus secrete releasing and inhibiting hormones which are carried to the anterior pituitary where they exert their effects via hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal veins. Included in the many functions of the hypothalamus are regulation of food and water intake, autonomic function, emotions, body temperature, motor functions, and circadian sleep-wake cycles (Kalat, 2004). Hormones secreted by the hypothalamus include Thyrotropin- releasing hormone, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, Growth- releasing hormone, Corticotropin-releasing hormone, Somatostatin, and Dopamine (Klaus,n.d.). Medically, a lesion is a term referring to abnormal tissue in the body that can be caused by many factors including disease, trauma, infection, or neoplasm which is an abnormal growth of tissue, such as a tumor (Healthopedia.com, n.d.). For the purpose of this paper tumor and lesion will be used interchangeably. As a neurologist I am a medical doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system, including diagnosis of brain tumors. As a professional I act as the primary care provider for patients with chronic neurological problems and as a consultant to other physicians who have clients suspected of having a condition involving the nervous system (Life NPH, n.d.). A neurological examination allows me to effectively diagnose the condition of the patient and suggest appropriate treatment options. I first review the patient's health history with special attention to the current condition. A patient suspected of having a disorder of the nervous system will be subjected to a general neurological examination which includes testing of eye movement and pupil reaction, hearing, reflexes, balance and coordination, sense of touch, sense of smell, facial muscle functioning, gag reflex, head movement, mental status, abstract thinking, and memory (Malhi, 2000). A full neurological examination is generally administered, despite any preconceived opinions of a patient’s potential ailment, in order to illustrate the condition as clearly as possible and rule out any alternative diagnosis. An examination takes 90 minutes or more in most cases and consists of a battery of tests. A neurological exam tests for a client’s level of function of the area of the nervous system involved in a given