Suprachiasmatic nucleus

The suprachiasmatic nucleus or nuclei (SCN) is a small region of the brain in the hypothalamus, situated directly above the optic chiasm. It is responsible for regulating sleep cycles in animals. Reception of light inputs from photosensitive retinal ganglion cells allow it to coordinate the subordinate cellular clocks of the body and entrain to the environment.

The neuronal and hormonal activities it generates regulate many different body functions in an approximately 24-hour cycle.

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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