What happens if the hypothalamus is damaged?

When your hypothalamus is damaged, it doesn’t function as it should. Another term for when there’s a problem with your hypothalamus is hypothalamic dysfunction.

Causes of hypothalamic dysfunction include:

• Head injuries, such as a traumatic brain injury
• Brain infection
• Brain tumor in or around your hypothalamus or brain aneurysms
• Significant weight loss caused by eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia
• Brain surgery
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy
• Birth defects (congenital conditions) involving the brain or hypothalamus
• Inflammatory disease including multiple sclerosis and neurosarcoidosis
• Some genetic disorders, such as growth hormone deficiency

Hypothalamus dysfunction plays a role in:

• Hypothalamic-pituitary disorders. Because of the close interactions between your hypothalamus and pituitary gland, conditions that affect either are called hypothalamic-pituitary disorders. Certain hormone tests can help determine the exact hormone involved to make a more specific diagnosis.
• Hypopituitarism. This condition can be caused by damage to your pituitary gland or to your hypothalamus, which directly affects the pituitary gland.
• Diabetes insipidus. This condition happens when your hypothalamus doesn’t produce and release enough vasopressin. This causes your kidneys to lose too much water and results in excessive peeing and thirst.
• Prader-Willi syndrome. This inherited disorder causes your hypothalamus not to recognize the sensation that you’re full when you’re eating. Without this sensation, you have a constant urge to eat and are at risk for obesity.
• Kallmann syndrome. This syndrome has a genetic link to hypothalamic disease, causing such hypothalamic problems in children as delayed or no puberty.
• Acromegaly and pituitary gigantism. These are rare disorders of growth due to excessive release of growth hormone from your pituitary gland.
• Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone. This occurs when the antidiuretic hormone level is too high. Causes include stroke, hemorrhage, infection, trauma, cancer and certain medications.
• Central hypothyroidism. Central hypothyroidism is a rare disorder that occurs due to both hypothalamic and pituitary disorders. The most common cause is a pituitary tumor such as a pituitary adenoma.
• Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea. This condition is the absence of a period for more than three months if you’re a female who previously had regular periods or more than six months if you have irregular menstruation. The most common cause of this condition is hypothalamic dysfunction.
• Hyperprolactinemia. A decrease in dopamine levels cause an increase in prolactin levels. Causes include a tumor, damage to nerve cells in the hypothalamus and other causes.

What are the symptoms of hypothalamus dysfunction?

Symptoms of hypothalamus dysfunction correspond to the types of hormone involved and if the hormone level is too low or too high. Some symptoms of a hypothalamus problem may include:

• High blood pressure or low blood pressure
• Water retention or dehydration
• Weight loss or weight gain with or without changes in appetite
• Infertility
• Poor bone health
• Delayed puberty
• Muscle loss and weakness
• Body temperature fluctuations
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Frequent need to pee