Abstract
In humans, the hypothalamus makes up less than 1% of the total brain volume. Yet, this small structure is involved in various metabolic, behavioral, and endocrine processes, with damage leading to disorders in these domains. For instance, central and peripheral effects, including diverse social functions, are related to the nonapeptide oxytocin, which is synthesized in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. To evaluate the role of distinct hypothalamic nuclei on behavior, it is necessary to study them in the living individual.
Here we describe magnetic resonance imaging as the neuroimaging method of choice for the investigation of hypothalamus anatomy and function and its neuropeptide oxytocin in vivo in humans. Due to its small size, hypothalamus imaging is faced with unique difficulties, but recent technical and computational interdisciplinary advances have expanded the possible uses of MRI to elucidate the role of the hypothalamus and its components in health and disease. Furthermore, we give an introduction on how neuroimaging techniques can be used to identify neural effects of an endogenous substance like oxytocin and provide an overview of neuroimaging findings concerning the impact of oxytocin on widespread neural networks. In addition, connections between brain responses and behavior are drawn to decipher the role of oxytocin in functions including fear response, attachment, and trust.
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Abbreviations
- AI:
-
Anterior insula
- ASL:
-
Arterial spin labeling
- AVP:
-
Arginine vasopressin
- BOLD:
-
Blood oxygen level-dependent
- CSF:
-
Cerebrospinal fluid
- FA:
-
Fractional anisotropy
- fMRI:
-
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- HPA:
-
Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis
- IU:
-
International units
- MD:
-
Mean diffusivity
- MFG:
-
Middle frontal gyrus
- MRI:
-
Magnetic resonance imaging
- MTT:
-
Mammillothalamic tract
- NAcc:
-
Nucleus accumbens
- OT:
-
Oxytocin
- PET:
-
Positron emission tomography
- PVN:
-
Paraventricular nucleus
- qMRI:
-
Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging
- rCBF:
-
Regional cerebral blood flow
- SCR:
-
Skin conductance response
- VTA:
-
Ventral tegmental area
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Mueller, C., Spindler, M., Caspers, S., Hurlemann, R. (2021). Advances in MRI-Based Anatomy of the Human Hypothalamus and Effects of the Hypothalamic Neuropeptide Oxytocin on Brain BOLD Signals. In: Grinevich, V., Dobolyi, Á. (eds) Neuroanatomy of Neuroendocrine Systems. Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86630-3_2
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