Lateral Geniculate Nucleus : A relay center in the thalamus for the visual pathway. It receives major sensory input from the retina and projects to the primary visual cortex (V1) in the occipital lobe. It is crucial for processing vision.
Ventral Posterior Nucleus : The primary somatosensory relay center of the thalamus. It receives sensory information from the body and face and projects to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1).
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus : Located immediately above the optic chiasm. It is the brain's master biological clock (circadian rhythm generator). It receives direct light input from the retina, allowing it to synchronize the body's internal rhythms with the 24-hour day/night cycle.
Paraventricular Nucleus : A large nucleus in the hypothalamus. It is critically involved in regulating the stress response by controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland (e.g., releasing corticotropin-releasing hormone, or CRH) and plays a key role in feeding behavior, fluid balance (via AVP/vasopressin release), and oxytocin release.
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