Which part of the brain controls temperature?

• A. Cerebellum
• B. Hypothalamus
• C. Thalamus
• D. Medulla

Answer: (B)

Temperature control is centralized in the hypothalamus, which acts as the body's thermostat. It constantly monitors temperature signals from the blood and skin and compares them to a set-point. When the body is too hot, the hypothalamus prompts cooling responses such as sweating and widening skin blood vessels, and it can reduce heat production. When too cold, it initiates warming strategies like shivering, constricting blood vessels near the skin, and increasing metabolic heat. It can even raise the set-point during fever in response to pyrogens, making the body work to reach a higher temperature. The other brain regions have different primary roles—cerebellum coordinates movement, the thalamus relays sensory information, and the medulla governs essential autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate—but temperature regulation mainly centers in the hypothalamus.