Inflammatory Conditions of the Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is affected by multiple inflammatory conditions. In hypophysitis, the hypothalamus is involved due to mass effect from the pituitary or due to direct autoimmune attack. The hypothalamus is a frequent target for aquaporin-4 antibody damage probably because of the lack of blood-brain barrier in the median eminence and the high levels of aquaporin-4 in the osmolarity-sensing neurons. NMOSD involvement of the hypothalamus is very severe and can be life-threatening. Anti-MOG antibodies occur in some patients with NMOSD who do not have anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies.