Tuber cinereum

The tuber cinereum ( from the Latin " gray hump " ) is a collection of nerve cells in the hypothalamus. It forms the bottom of the hypothalamus. The tuber cinereum is a funnel shape into the pituitary stalk ( infundibulum ). It consists of three nuclei: the nucleus ventromedial, infundibular nucleus and nucleus dorsomedialis ( arcuate nucleus ).

Functions

The axons of neurons in the nucleus infundibular end of the vessels of the pituitary stalk. There are hormones (eg, gonadotropin -releasing hormone) is produced, which control the function of the adenohypophysis. The nucleus ventromedial plays a role in the regulation of hunger and satiety. In contrast, the function of the nucleus dorsomedialis in humans is not yet known.

Medical importance

In children rarely congenital malformations in the area of the tuber are cinereums detectable, so-called tuberculin cinereum hamartomas. This is to ectopic neural tissue. Clinically, a precocious puberty and are laser- matic seizures ( paroxysmal laughing or crying ) typical. In conjunction with polydactyly Tuber cinereum hamartomas also occur when Pallister - Hall syndrome.