AIIMS Patna NO - 2020
Applied Physiology
Easy
Which of the following parts of the brain controls body temperature?
Appeared in: AIIMS Patna NO - 2020
Explanation
- The hypothalamus is the primary center in the brain for regulating body temperature.
- It functions like a thermostat, sensing changes in the body's core temperature and initiating responses to either heat up or cool down the body.
- The anterior hypothalamus controls heat loss through mechanisms like sweating and vasodilation.
- The posterior hypothalamus controls heat production and conservation through mechanisms like shivering and vasoconstriction.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option B: The hippocampus is primarily associated with memory formation and learning, not with the autonomic function of temperature regulation.
- Option C: The pons, part of the brainstem, is mainly involved in regulating respiration, sleep, and relaying sensory information between the cerebrum and cerebellum. It does not control body temperature.
- Option D: The amygdala is the brain's emotional center, primarily responsible for processing fear, anger, and pleasure. It is not involved in thermoregulation.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Neuroanatomy and Physiology as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Nurses must meticulously monitor the temperature of patients with traumatic brain injuries, strokes, or brain tumors, as damage to the hypothalamus can cause life-threatening temperature instability (hyperthermia or hypothermia).
- A sudden, high fever that does not respond to antipyretic medications (like paracetamol) in a patient with a neurological condition may indicate central fever due to hypothalamic dysfunction, requiring immediate physical cooling measures.
- What if a patient with a head injury develops a fever of 104°F (40°C) that is resistant to antipyretics? This strongly suggests neurogenic (central) fever from hypothalamic irritation, not infection. The nursing priority shifts from administering more fever-reducing drugs to implementing external cooling methods (e.g., cooling blankets, ice packs) and notifying the physician about potential central nervous system damage.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the key concept in the question stem, which is the 'control of body temperature'.
- Next, review the options provided, which are all distinct parts of the brain.
- Recall the primary function of each brain structure listed. The hypothalamus is the body's thermostat.
- Systematically eliminate the other options by matching them to their known primary roles: Hippocampus is for memory, Pons is for respiration/sleep, and Amygdala is for emotion.
- Confirm the selection of the hypothalamus as the correct answer based on this process of elimination and direct knowledge.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Neuroanatomy and Physiology
- Stem keywords: brain, controls, body temperature
- Lead-in keywords: Which
Question ID
Qw4iSgoNtLRLkNc_a5P9y8
Reference Book
E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 3 p. 9-11
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 265-267
Practise the full AIIMS Patna NO - 2020
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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