Neuroanatomy · Nervous System · Hard
Hypothalamus
Meaning: A small brain region controlling hormones, temperature and hunger.
In practice: The hypothalamus triggers shivering when your body temperature drops.
Word parts
- hypo- means below or less than normal
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related neuroanatomy words.
Which word means: A distorted body map representing areas of the motor or sensory cortex.
Answer: Homunculus
Which word means: The outer part of the lentiform nucleus within the basal ganglia.
Answer: Putamen
Words like hypothalamus come up in the daily game
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