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Where is the hypothalamus located in the brain?

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The hypothalamus is a small, cone-shaped structure located within the brain. Anatomically, it is situated below the thalamus and forms the floor and walls of the third cerebral ventricle.12

The structure projects downward from the brain, terminating in the infundibular stalk, which serves as a tubular connection to the pituitary gland. Key structures adjacent to the hypothalamus include the mammillary bodies and the optic chiasm. Within the brain, the hypothalamus is divided into medial and lateral groups by the fornix, a curved bundle of axons.12