<p><strong>Short answer</strong><br>
Yes</p>

<p><strong>Background</strong><br>
There is no universal agreement on the total list of structures comprising the limbic system. The brain regions constituting the limbic system according to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917081/" rel="nofollow">Rajmohan &amp; Mohandas (2007)</a> are:</p>

<ul>
<li>Limbic cortex</li>
<li>Cingulate gyrus</li>
<li>Parahippocampal gyrus</li>
<li>Hippocampal formation</li>
<li>The dentate gyrus</li>
<li>Hippocampus</li>
<li>Subicular Complex</li>
<li>Amygdala</li>
<li>Septal area</li>
<li><strong>Hypothalamus</strong></li>
</ul>

<p>Note that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_system" rel="nofollow">wikipedia</a> agrees on the inclusion of the hypothalamus. I dare say that in general the hypothalamus is included as an essential component of the limbic system, as it is involved in the expression of emotional responses, such as rage and fear <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10814/" rel="nofollow">(Purves <em>et al</em>, 2001)</a>.</p>

<p><sub><strong>References</strong><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10814/" rel="nofollow">Purves <em>et al</em>, <em>Neuroscience</em>, 2<sup>nd</sup> ed. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001</a><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917081/" rel="nofollow">Rajmohan &amp; Mohandas <em>Indian J Psychiatry</em> (2007); <strong>49</strong>(2): 132–9)</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-06T05:03:00.460Z
2015-11-06T05:03:00.460Z
AliceD
<p>I believe the hypothalamus is involved in control of appetite and defensive and reproductive behaviours, which are functions of the limbic system, and according to this website <a href="http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/limbicsystem.html" rel="nofollow">http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/limbicsystem.html</a> it would seem that it is part of the limbic system, however Wikipedia and other sites seem to disagree... Any help would be much appreciated :)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-06T00:56:41.290Z
Wikipedia does agree with you: ["is part of the limbic system"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamus) :P
mrt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-06T09:59:56.647Z
Apologies- when looking at the page for the 'limbic system' it wasn't included in the main list of structures involved, so I assumed it wasn't a part...
Meep
<emotion><neuroanatomy>
Is the hypothalamus part of the limbic system?
Meep
# Is the hypothalamus part of the limbic system?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-05)

I believe the hypothalamus is involved in control of appetite and defensive and reproductive behaviours, which are functions of the limbic system, and according to this website <http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/limbicsystem.html> it would seem that it is part of the limbic system, however Wikipedia and other sites seem to disagree... Any help would be much appreciated :)

**Tags:** emotion, neuroanatomy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Wikipedia does agree with you: ["is part of the limbic system"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamus) :P  
> **username_0**: Apologies- when looking at the page for the 'limbic system' it wasn't included in the main list of structures involved, so I assumed it wasn't a part...  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-11-06. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

**Short answer**  
Yes

**Background**  
There is no universal agreement on the total list of structures comprising the limbic system. The brain regions constituting the limbic system according to [Rajmohan & Mohandas (2007)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917081/) are:

* Limbic cortex
* Cingulate gyrus
* Parahippocampal gyrus
* Hippocampal formation
* The dentate gyrus
* Hippocampus
* Subicular Complex
* Amygdala
* Septal area
* **Hypothalamus**

Note that [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_system) agrees on the inclusion of the hypothalamus. I dare say that in general the hypothalamus is included as an essential component of the limbic system, as it is involved in the expression of emotional responses, such as rage and fear [(Purves *et al*, 2001)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10814/).

**References**  
**-** [Purves *et al*, *Neuroscience*, 2nd ed. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10814/)  
**-** [Rajmohan & Mohandas *Indian J Psychiatry* (2007); **49**(2): 132–9)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917081/)


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