Hypothalamus

Thyroid Storm The hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, and the thyroid gland all work together to regulate the thyroid hormones which in turn have a significant role in the regulation of the body’s metabolism and calcium balance (Pullen & Embrey, 2013, p. 14). When these components fail to maintain the appropriate balance of the thyroid hormones, the result can be either a hyperactive thyroid or a hypoactive thyroid. As a nurse, it is important to be able to identify patients who may be…

What is it ? Menopause is a condition that all women experience as they grow older and age. It signals the end of their menstrual period. The women go through many changes before and after menstruation stops. The average age of menopause is 51 years. Menopause can be 'induced' by surgical removal of the ovaries or by iatrogenic ablation of ovarian function by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or by treatment with gonadotrophin-releasing analogues .Population studies show that smoking and low…

The heart is considered as the center of wisdom, passion, and emotions by many a people. This emanates from the fact that people report experiencing emotional states and the feeling love in the area of the heart. However, these feelings have been conventionally attributed to the brain. Recent studies have disputed this fact with physiological mechanisms being explored to ascertain how the heart communicates with the brain and as such influence the health, emotions, perceptions, and processing of…

grey matter, an extensive component of the central nervous system occurs after childbirth. A 2010 study, conducted by Pilyoung Kim, a developmental psychologist at Yale University observed the increase of “gray matter in brain areas such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, parietal lobe and prefrontal cortex” (Pilyoung) of women after pregnancy. The following brain regions are prominent for emotions, attachment, judgment and reasoning, and body senses beneficial for the child’s well being. As…

What is Cognitive Coaching? Coaching according to Costa and Garmston (1994) is defined as a people based art and the center of management that occurs within a relationship that is action oriented, result oriented, and person oriented (Costa and Garmston, 1994). Expert cognitive coaches apply specific techniques to improve another person’s perceptions, decisions, and intellectual functions (Costa & Garmston, 1994). According to these authors, changing these inner thought processes is prerequisite…

Eating disorders come in many forms and have many causes. For example anorexia nervosa, this is an eating disorder where the person refuses to eat and then becomes malnourished. This disorder is commonly found in young girls who have over controlling parents. The treatment for this disorder is commonly family systems therapy. Family systems therapy is a therapy that treats the disorder and the family of the person, this treatment is used because the family tends to be at the root of this…

norepinephrine, regulates mood, stress, and appetite. These neurotransmitters can cause one to lose appetite or become stressed about the tiniest things. They contribute to the function of the psychological factors of humans and the actions one might take. Hypothalamus is part of the brain where neurotransmitters might not trigger a normal satisfaction response, causing one to not feel full after a meal. Many neurotransmitters are working to control all of the different functions of the brain…

Social interaction and behavior including everything from altruistic actions towards family members to acting properly at work , is a crucial part of our life. It is important to understand the mechanisms behind why we feel an urge to behave in the way we do. Many probably wondered, why do some people cheat compulsively while others stay faithful or why some people are more “emotionally available” than others. Recently neurobiologists have made breakthroughs behind the differences in this…

One might ask how the topic of fear relates to the liberal arts. Fear, although it manifests itself in physical and physiological symptoms, is an omnipresent force effecting the human race. The symptoms it causes and our responses influence our behavior, thoughts, and decisions. All of which are studied by liberal arts disciplines. To better understand the human response to fear, it helps to understand the body’s response. When a stimulus that triggers fear is encountered, impulses are sent…

We all take advantage of sleep and think of it, at times, as a luxury more than a physiological and psychological necessity. Edwards, O’Dreiscoll, et al, in their paper over Aging and Sleep: Physiology and Pathophysiology, simply defined sleep as a natural state characterized by a reduction in voluntary motor activity (skeletal muscle movement) but not involuntary activity (heart, lungs, organs, etc.), and a decreased response to stimulation and stereotypic posture that is both reversible and…