The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones

by Gareth Leng

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262551939
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	04/30/2024
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gareth Leng is Professor of Experimental Physiology at the University of Edinburgh and the author of The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones (MIT Press).

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 Prelude 1

2 The European Brain 7

3 The Classical Neuron 13

4 Enlightenment 25

5 Far from the Madding Crowd 31

6 Pulsatile Secretion 45

7 Dendritic Secretion and Priming 57

8 The CnRH Neuron 69

9 Kisspeptin 79

10 The Bistable Neuron 87

11 Vasopressin 99

12 Numbers 109

13 Whispered Secrets and Public Announcements 115

14 Plasticity 121

15 Rhythms 133

16 Obesity 139

17 The Empty Medicine Cabinet 151

18 Appetite 161

19 The Sweet Hormone 171

20 The Hybrid Neuron 179

21 Behavior 189

22 The Evolved Brain 201

23 Redundancy and Degeneracy 211

24 The Tangled Web 217

Notes 223

Index 253

What People are Saying About This

Endorsement

As neuroendocrinology blossomed from a boutique field of neuroscience into the prime opportunity to relate molecular biology to hormones and behavior, Leng led by virtue of his productivity and his quantitative thinking.His book makes neuroscience accessible, as his writingblends charm and expertise. He presents complex ideas in a clear and interesting manner.

—Donald Pfaff, Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University; author of How the Vertebrate Brain Regulates Behavior

From the Publisher

As neuroendocrinology blossomed from a boutique field of neuroscience into the prime opportunity to relate molecular biology to hormones and behavior, Leng led by virtue of his productivity and his quantitative thinking. His book makes neuroscience accessible, as his writing blends charm and expertise. He presents complex ideas in a clear and interesting manner.

—Donald Pfaff, Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University; author of How the Vertebrate Brain Regulates Behavior