Clinical manifestations of hypothalamic tumors.

The regulatory function of the central nervous system encompasses diverse endocrine, metabolic, and behavioral processes. Many of these originate, are integrated, or are coordinated through hypothalamic pathways or nuclei. Thus, tumors affecting areas projecting to the hypothalamus, tumors of the hypothalamus, and tumors invading or compressing the hypothalamus can produce abnormalities of hypothalamic function.