(MSCDFSM)

b) What are the functions of the following:

(i) Hypothalamus

(ii) Midbrain

ANS(I)- The hypothalamus is a section of the brain responsible for the production of many of the body's essential hormones, chemical substances that help control different cells and organs. The hormones from the hypothalamus govern physiologic functions such as temperature regulation, thirst, hunger, sleep, mood, sex drive, and the release of other hormones within the body. This area of the brain houses the pituitary gland and other glands in the body.

(ii) The midbrain is an area of the brain that, as you might have guessed, is in the middle of two other regions: the forebrain and the hindbrain. The forebrain is the 'front' (fore) brain and is composed of the cerebral cortex, the area that most people think of as the 'brain'; it's the 'supercomputer' of the human body. The hindbrain, or 'back' (hind) brain, is composed of the cerebellum and the pons and medulla oblongata (or medulla, for short) of the brainstem; it is evolutionarily the oldest part of our brain, controlling primal instincts and automated actions of the body, such as our 'fight or flight' response and heart rate.