Median eminence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The median eminence is generally defined as the portion of the ventral hypothalamus from which the portal vessels arise.[1] The median eminence is a small swelling on the tuber cinereum, posterior to and atop the pituitary stalk; it lies in the area roughly bounded on its posterolateral region by the cerebral peduncles, and on its anterolateral region by the optic chiasm.
Median eminence | |
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Details | |
Identifiers | |
Latin | eminentia mediana hypothalami |
MeSH | D008473 |
NeuroNames | 402 |
NeuroLex ID | birnlex_925 |
TA98 | A14.1.08.409 |
TA2 | 5784 |
FMA | 74634 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
As one of the seven areas of the brain devoid of a blood–brain barrier,[2] the median eminence is a circumventricular organ having permeable capillaries.[3][4][5][6] Its main function is as a gateway for release of hypothalamic hormones,[7] although it does share contiguous perivascular spaces with the adjacent hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, indicating a potential sensory role.[4][8]