Description
Book SynopsisSensations of hunger, thirst, sexual attraction, and love can dominate our thoughts to the exclusion of almost everything else, but until the last 10 years or so, the precise reasons why these passions arise have not been understood very well. We now know that these, and other drives like the urge to sleep, are controlled by a small portion of the brain called the hypothalamus. This book presents the latest information about how the brain controls our most basic drives. In a series of fascinating anecdotes, Young tells the tale of how scientists have discovered the role of the hypothalamus in our basic drives and in medical conditions in which these drives are drastically altered. Covering our need for food, water, sex, sleep, and other life essentials, he reveals the brain's part in how we provide for each, and how in some cases, those needs can swing wildly out of control resulting in problems such as obesity, diabetes, insomnia, or narcolepsy. He shows how regulating body temperatu
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Anatomy of the Hypothalamus and the Control of Hunger 2. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Thirst and Body Temperature 3. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Sex and Emotions 4. The Hypothalamus and the Control of Sleep 5. The hypothalamus and the Secretion of Hormones . 6. Some Final Thoughts on Mice and Men Notes Index About the Author
