HYPERthalamus

"The frosty haze caressed my face as I open the fridge to search for something to drink. As it clears out I saw a PITCHER OF ORANGE JUICE sitting on a bed of ice staring back at me. It was all sweaty and looked as if a model on a billboard that’s magnetizing my hand to grasp it. As soon as I took it out of the fridge I grab a glass and filled it with the drink up to the brim.

I sat on the center island of the kitchen and watch my mom cook. I checked my watch and it was almost dinner time. I just got home from school. As I was gazing at my mom I suddenly burst into laughter. I just couldn’t help it. After about a minute or two of continues laughing, I finally got control of it.

So why did I laugh out of the blue? I remembered something… something that happened to me at school.

It was half pass 5 in the afternoon. Almost all of my classmates have gone home. I was walking at the corridor feeling very hot. It’s during this time I find my HANKY very useful. I wiped my forehead across my face and down to my neck with it, unfold it once and started fanning myself. I was about to reach the end of the hall when a familiar face popped out of nowhere. It was my CRUSH…

The beam of the setting sun was bouncing on her beautiful face as she walks gracefully across the strip. I was enjoying looking at her when I realized she was heading towards my way. All of a sudden I don’t know what to do. In just a matter of seconds she’ll be in front of me and I don’t think I can handle it. It started feeling hot again and so I fanned faster and faster. I was starting to HURT a little as my hanky slapped my arm in both sides because of vigorous fanning. I FELT BUTTERFLIES FLUTTERING INSIDE MY STOMACH as she approaches me. My heart was ready to jump right out of my chest and hide somewhere to get over of timidity.

Finally, a door of opportunity literally opened for me. It was the opportunity to hide. I swiftly let myself inside the canteen and stayed there for about 5 minutes. As soon as I was sure she wasn’t there anymore I went out and walked wearing a smile on my face.

My mom was already shaking me when I realized I was day dreaming in front of her. She asked me why was I laughing but I didn’t answer. I know I was BLUSHING as I leap out of the counter top and help myself out of the kitchen."

So, maybe by this time you’re asking if I posted this story correctly into this blog. Well, yes! At first it looks like it has nothing to do with the topic assigned to me which is by the way “the hypothalamus and its hormones”. But I tell you, it has. If you would notice, there are words and phrases with colors and in all caps. Those are the specific points I would like you to concentrate on…

The hypothalamus is an organ located at the lower portion of the brain. It controls different involuntary phenomena that happen inside our body such as the contraction of smooth muscles that line different organs such as the intestinal tract as well as the urinary tract. It is also responsible for the movement of our heart muscles.

Maintenance of homeostasis is one of its functions. The “pitcher of orange juice” and the “hanky” is how I represent this function of the hypothalamus. Being the thirst center of the brain, it helps in maintaining fluid balance inside our body. Aside from thirst, it also helps regulate food intake.

The hanky… The hanky represents the role of the hypothalamus in controlling body temperature. When the blood temperature flowing through it is above normal, it directs the autonomic nervous system to stimulate activities that will promote heat loss such as fanning. Thyrotrophin-releasing hormone is said to be one of the hormones it produce to be able to carry out this function.

Having a strong feeling for someone? You have a “crush”. So who to blame, your heart? Nah. Blame it all to the hypothalamus, more specifically to the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone it produces. This hormone also known as GnRH has been known to have effects on the body’s limbic system. The limbic system is a part of the forebrain which is involved in the expression of rage, aggression, pain, and pleasure as well as the behavioral patterns related to sexual arousal. It is sometimes called as the “emotional brain”.

Remember the part of the story when I felt sweaty and hot again even though I was already being fanned because my crush is about to walk towards me? Well, this very stressful situation is because of a hormone called Corticotropin-releasing hormone. This large hormone like the GHRH is made up of 41 amino acids arranged in a single chain is responsible for the regulation of physical and emotional stress when increased. Together with a low level of cortisol it promotes the release of ACTH from the anterior pituitary where it stimulates the secretion of glucocorticoids. Protein breakdown, lypolysis, glucose formation, anti-inflammation, resistance to stress and depression of immune responses are other effects of glucocorticoids where CRH participates.

There is one hormone that our hypothalamus secretes that somehow isn’t that related to my story. This is the Growth hormone-releasing hormone...

Growth hormone-releasing hormone as its name suggests is the hormone that helps us develop into maturity. It is stimulated by stress more specifically physical exercise. When produced in abnormally high amounts, it may lead to acromegaly. Acromegaly is a disease that is caused by the hypersecretion of human growth hormone (hGH) in the anterior pituitary-the part of the brain where GRHR is utilized. This disease is being prevented by the secretion of another hormone called somatostatin.

All of those feelings we have because of the hormones our dear hypothalamus secretes make each day worth remembering, laughing, enjoying and treasuring. With all these things it can do, I think its name doesn’t fit it. I think we should call it HYPERthalamus.

References:

Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Procedures, Correlations 5th Edition by M. Bishop et.al.