Medicine & USMLE

Lateral Nucleus

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Hypothalamic Nuclei
  1. Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
  2. Paraventricular and Supraoptic Nuclei
  3. Lateral Nucleus
  4. Ventromedial Nucleus
  5. Anterior Nucleus
  6. Posterior Nucleus
  7. Preoptic Nuclei

Lateral Nucleus

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Summary

The lateral nucleus is a nucleus in the hypothalamus that plays a key role in promoting appetite. It’s stimulated by ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, and inhibited by leptin, another hormone that decreases appetite.

Key Points

  • Lateral Nucleus
    • Location
      • Hypothalamus
    • Functions
      • Promotes appetite (hunger)
        • Stimulated by ghrelin
        • Inhibited by leptin
    • Lesions
      • A lesion in the lateral hypothalamus results in:
        • Starvation + weight loss (adults)
        • Failure to thrive (infants)