Living with Damage to the Hypothalamus Essay -- Brain Neurology Medica

Living with Damage to the Hypothalamus Living with some-one who has a tumor or lesion; caused by an accidental trauma to the head, a stroke or a penetrating projectile, ect., can affect many aspects of normal life. Damage to the hypothalamus can produce many different problems in the body. According to James Kalat; the hypothalamus is a small area near the base of the brain just ventral to the thalamus. It has wide spread connections with the rest of the forebrain and the midbrain. The hypothalamus contains a number of distinct nuclei. Partly through nerves and partly through hypothalamic hormones, the hypothalamus conveys message to pituitary gland, altering its release of hormones. Damage to a hypothalamic nucleus leads to abnormalities in one or more motivated behaviors, such as feeding, drinking, temperature regulation, sexual behavior, fighting, or activity level (Kalat, 2004). Some of the most predominant diseases that affect the family and the home life are; neurophysical diseases, adenohypophysical diseases, and other hypothalamic syndromes. The most common neurophysical diseases affected by damage to the hypothalamus are: Diabetes Insipidus, (SIADH) Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH Secretion and Cerebral Salt Wasting. Adenohypophysical diseases include: Panhypopituitarism (Simmonds Disease), abnormalities in growth and Cushing Disease and Cushing Syndrome. Other Hypothalamic syndromes that would affect family life include: Precocious Puberty, Adiposogenital Dystrophy (Froelich Syndrome), disturbances in regulation of temperature, appetite and sleep, lastly the Pineal Gland and Melatonin (Bostrom, 2003). The Hypothalamus serves as the â€Å"head ganglion† of bo... ...ontributing to a healthy relationship. Open communication may help family members deal with feeling of guilt, self-esteem, anxiety, and empathy towards the victim. Also, support for the spouse in planning the patient’s care regarding the specific issues and problems is extremely important for both parties. References Boller, Francois. (1982). Sexual Dysfunction in Neurological Disorders. New York, New York; Raven Press. Bostrum, Donald. (2003). Psychiatric Nursing. St.Louis; Mosbey Publishing. Engel, Jerome., Williamson, Peter. (1997). Fundamental Mechanisms of Human Brain Function. New York; New York; Raven Press. Kalat, James W. (2004). Biological Psychology. (8th ed.).Belmont; Wadsworth/Thompson Learning. Ropper, Allen H., Victor, Maurice. (2002). Manual of Neurology. (7TH ed.). International Edition, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.