The Mammillary Bodies of the Hypothalamus

Question

The mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus
A) regulate lactation.
B) secrete oxytocin.
C) control feeding reflexes.
D) control heart rate and blood pressure.
E) secrete antidiuretic hormone.

Accepted Answer

The mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus play a role in controlling feeding reflexes, particularly related to memory and learning associated with feeding behavior. They receive input from the hippocampus (which is involved in memory formation) and send output to the thalamus (which relays sensory information to the cortex) and the brainstem (which controls basic physiological processes such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure).