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. PVN neurons project to many different brain regions including the posterior pituitary, the median eminence as well as the brainstem and spinal cord. Neurons which project to the posterior pituitary secrete oxytocin and vasopressin, whereas neurons that project to the median eminence release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and other neuropeptides. CRH and TRH are secreted into the hypophyseal portal system, and target effector endocrine cells in the anterior pituitary. The PVN is thought to mediate many diverse functions , including osmoregulation, appetite, wakefulness, stress responses, as well as the regulation of social behavior.