Hypothalamus: relations (English)

The hypothalamus is located anterior and inferior to the thalamus, surrounding the ventral portion of the third ventricle. Anteriorly, the hypothalamus is bordered by the anterior commissure, lamina terminalis and optic chiasma (superior to inferior). The posterior border is adjacent to the tegmentum superiorly and the mammillary bodies inferiorly. The superior border is marked by the hypothalamic sulcus, and inferior border by the tuber cinereum. In sagittal view, the hypothalamus can be divided into 4 main regions (areas). The anteriormost area is the preoptic region. Immediately posterior to this is the anterior hypothalamic (chiasmatic) area and then the intermediate hypothalamic (tuberal) area. Finally, the posteriormost area is the one that corresponds to the mammillary bodies and is called the posterior (or mammillary) hypothalamic area.