Paraventricular nucleus
| Paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus | |
|---|---|
Human paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in this coronal section is indicated by the shaded area. Dots represent vasopressin (AVP) neurons (also seen in the supraoptic nucleus, SON). The medial surface is the 3rd ventricle (3V). | |
The paraventricular hypothalamus of the mouse brain | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nucleus paraventricularis hypothalami |
| MeSH | D010286 |
| NeuroNames | 387 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1407 |
| TA98 | A14.1.08.909 |
| TA2 | 5722 |
| FMA | 62320 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a nucleus in the hypothalamus, located next to the third ventricle. Many of its neurons project to the posterior pituitary where they secrete oxytocin, and a smaller amount of vasopressin. Other secretions are corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). CRH and TRH are secreted into the hypophyseal portal system, and target effector endocrine cells in the anterior pituitary. Dysfunctions of the PVN can cause hypersomnia in mice. In humans, the dysfunction of the PVN and the other nuclei around it can lead to drowsiness for up to 20 hours per day. The PVN is thought to mediate many diverse functions through different hormones, including osmoregulation, appetite, wakefulness, and the response of the body to stress.