Hypothalamic Lesion

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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

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