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The Hypothalamus

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Clinical Endocrinology

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Abstract

The hypothalamus has a diameter of only 2.5 cm and makes up 1/300th of the weight of the brain. Nevertheless, this tiny organ coordinates and regulates most of the vital processes of life. Modulations are effected through neural and neuro-endocrine routes. The schema of Harris (Fig. 1) shows how the humoral substances secreted by neurons can affect the endorgans, with or without intervention of the endocrine system. The physiologic and clinical aspects of the hypothalamus will only be discussed in relation to their influence on the endocrine system, as befits a textbook of endocrinology.

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© 1974 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Labhart, A. (1974). The Hypothalamus. In: Clinical Endocrinology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-96158-8_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-96158-8_2

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