The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones (The MIT Press)

**How hormonal signals in one small structure of the brain--the hypothalamus--govern our physiology and behavior.**As human beings, we prefer to think of ourselves as reasonable. But how much of what we do is really governed by reason? In this book, Gareth Leng considers the extent to which one small structure of the neuroendocrine brain--the hypothalamus--influences what we do, how we love, and who we are.The hypothalamus contains a large variety of neurons. These communicate not only through neurotransmitters, but also through peptide signals that act as hormones within the brain. While neurotransmitter signals tend to be ephemeral and confined by anatomical connectivity, the hormone signals that hypothalamic neurons generate are potent, wide-reaching, and long-lasting. Leng explores the evolutionary origins of these remarkable neurons, and where the receptors for their hormone signals are found in the brain. By asking how the hypothalamic neurons and their receptors are regulated, he explores how the hypothalamus links our passions with our reason.__The Heart of the Brain__shows in an accessible way how this very small structure is very much at the heart of what makes us human. This Book Is About The Neuroendocrine Brain - About The Hypothalamus, The Seat Of Our Passions, And About The Control That This Small Structure Exerts On Our Physiology And Behavior. The Hypothalamus Contains A Vast Diversity Of Neuronal Types, And These Signal Not Only Though Conventional Messengers But By A Wide Range Of Other Signals, Many Of Which Act As Hormones Within The Brain. Behaviors Important To Who We Are - Love And Hate, How Much We Eat And What We Eat, How We Respond To Threat And To Stress - Are Governed By The Hypothalamus, And Not By The Map Of How The Neurons Are Connected, But By Where The Receptors For These Peptide Signals Are Found. Neurotransmitter Signals Are Ephemeral And Confined By Anatomical Connectivity, But The Peptide Signals That Hypothalamic Neurons Generate Are Potent, Wide Reaching And Long-lasting, And They Affect Not Just Neuronal Excitability But Also The Genes That Neurons Express. Remarkably, Different Peptides When Injected Into The Brain Induce Coherent, Meaningful Behaviors - Some Trigger Eating, Others Induce A Longing For Salt, Or Initiate Maternal Behavior Or Aggression Or Sleep. This Book Describes The Frontiers Of Current Research Into The Hypothalamus, And Does So In A Way That Makes It Accessible To Readers With No Specialized Knowledge.-- Preface -- Prelude -- The European Brain -- The Classical Neuron -- Enlightenment -- Far From The Madding Crowd -- Pulsatile Secretion -- Dendritic Secretion And Priming -- The Gnrh Neuron -- Kisspeptin -- The Bistable Neuron -- Vasopressin -- Numbers -- Whispered Secrets And Public Announcements -- Plasticity -- Rhythms -- Obesity -- The Empty Medicine Cabinet -- Appetite -- The Sweet Hormone -- The Hybrid Neuron -- Behavior -- The Evolved Brain -- Redundancy And Degeneracy -- The Tangled Web. Gareth Leng. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. How hormonal signals in one small structure of the brain--the hypothalamus--govern our physiology and behavior. As human beings, we prefer to think of ourselves as reasonable. But how much of what we do is really governed by reason? In this book, Gareth Leng considers the extent to which one small structure of the neuroendocrine brain--the hypothalamus--influences what we do, how we love, and who we are. The hypothalamus contains a large variety of neurons. These communicate not only through neurotransmitters, but also through peptide signals that act as hormones within the brain. While neurotransmitter signals tend to be ephemeral and confined by anatomical connectivity, the hormone signals that hypothalamic neurons generate are potent, wide-reaching, and long-lasting. Leng explores the evolutionary origins of these remarkable neurons, and where the receptors for their hormone signals are found in the brain. By asking how the hypothalamic neurons and their receptors are regulated, he explores how the hypothalamus links our passions with our reason. The Heart of the Brain shows in an accessible way how this very small structure is very much at the heart of what makes us human.