<Tr> <Th> FMA </Th> <Td> 62008 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions . One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland . </P> <P> The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and is part of the limbic system . In the terminology of neuroanatomy, it forms the ventral part of the diencephalon . All vertebrate brains contain a hypothalamus . In humans, it is the size of an almond . </P>

What is the basic function of the hypothalamus