Despite the physiological complexity of the hypothalamus, its role is typically restricted to initiation or cessation of innate behaviors. For example, theories of lateral hypothalamus argue that it is a switch to turn feeding ‘on’ and ‘off’ as dictated by higher-order structures that render when feeding is appropriate. However, recent data demonstrate that the lateral hypothalamus is critical for learning about food-related cues. Furthermore, the lateral hypothalamus opposes learning about information that is neutral or distal to food. This reveals the lateral hypothalamus as a unique arbitrator of learning capable of shifting behavior toward or away from important events. This has relevance for disorders characterized by changes in this balance, including addiction and schizophrenia. Generally, this suggests that hypothalamic function is more complex than increasing or decreasing innate behaviors.

尽管下丘脑的生理复杂性，其作用通常仅限于先天行为的启动或停止。例如，下丘脑外侧理论认为，它是一个开关，可以根据高阶结构的指示来“开启”和“关闭”进食，而这些结构会在适当的进食时呈现。然而，最近的数据表明，外侧下丘脑对于了解与食物相关的线索至关重要。此外，外侧下丘脑反对学习中性或远离食物的信息。这揭示了外侧下丘脑作为独特的学习仲裁者，能够将行为转向或远离重要事件。这与以这种平衡变化为特征的疾病相关，包括成瘾和精神分裂症。一般来说，这表明下丘脑功能比增加或减少先天行为更复杂。