What are the functions of the thalamus, hypothalamus and pineal gland?
The thalamus is believed to both process and relay sensory information selectively to various parts of the cerebral cortex, as one thalamic point may reach one or several regions in the cortex. The thalamus also plays an important role in regulating states of sleep and wakefulne The hypothalamus regulates certain metabolic processes and other activities of the Autonomic Nervous System. It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called hypothalamic-releasing hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the secretion of pituitary hormones. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, and circadian cycles. The pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone that may weakly modulate wake/sleep patterns.Melatonin is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan, which also has other functions in the central nervous system. The production of melatonin by the pineal gland is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.The retina detects the light, and directl
