Hypothalamus: Necessary or Unnecessary?

   Recently, I read an article explaining a scenario in which a 24-year old woman was found to be missing a large portion of her brain, the cerebellum. Even though the cerebellum has numerous important functions and is responsible for controlling "voluntary movements and balance" and is responsible for increasing "our ability to learn specific motor actions and speak", the woman was still able to live a rather normal life with the exception of having some motor and speaking problems. It was really surprising to see that the area which the cerebellum was supposed to be had cerebrospinal fluid which allows increased cushioning to the brain and enables excess defense against various diseases. It was really surprising to see how other parts of the brain could help the body continue with most functions.

Above: Picture of a brain missing a cerebellum
Below: Actual picture of woman's brain with excess cerebrospinal fluid. 

   After reading the article, I was interested on whether or not a person could survive without a hypothalamus. I realized that unlike the cerebellum, our bodies need a hypothalamus to survive primarily because the hypothalamus is the sole part of the brain that can regulate homeostasis. This organ, located beneath the thalamus is responsible for helping the body achieve a steady rate of equilibrium or constancy. Other functions that the hypothalamus regulate include regulating blood pressure, heart rate, hunger, reflexes, thirst, bladder functions, sleep cycles, metabolism, and energy levels, making it one of the most important parts of the brain.