The term hypothalamus originates from the Greek words "hypo" and "thalamus," which mean "below" and "chamber," respectively. This term was first coined by German anatomist Johann Christian Reil in 1809.

The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain located at the base of the brain, just above the brain stem. It is responsible for regulating homeostasis and controlling many of the body’s automatic responses such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and hormones. It also plays a role in emotion and behavior. The hypothalamus is responsible for releasing hormones that help to regulate other systems in the body, such as the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. It is connected to the pituitary gland, which helps to control the release of hormones from the hypothalamus.

1. Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH): A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland. Etymologically, its name is derived from the Greek words ‘kortiko’, meaning ‘outer’ and ‘tropin’, which means ‘to turn’.

2. Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH): A peptide hormone released by the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland. Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘gonad’, meaning ‘ovaries’ and ‘tropin’, meaning ‘to turn’.

3. Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH): A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘thyro’, meaning ‘thyroid’ and ‘tropin’, meaning ‘to turn’.

4. Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH): A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland. Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘growth’ and ‘tropin’, meaning ‘to turn’.

5. Prolactin-Releasing Hormone (PRH): A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of prolactin (PRL) from the pituitary gland. Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘pro’, meaning ‘in front of’ and ‘lactin’, meaning ‘milk’.

6. Oxytocin: A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the contraction of the uterus and milk production. Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘oxys’, meaning ‘swift’ and ‘tocos’, meaning ‘birth’.

7. Vasopressin (ADH): A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that regulates water balance in the body and increases blood pressure. Its name is derived from the Latin words ‘vas’, meaning ‘vessel’ and ‘press’, meaning ‘to press’.