The OVLT can signal other brain areas to release hormones that affect peripheral tissues, such as regulating kidney function to manage salt and fluid balance.

“The most important and famous of these, for sake of today's conversation, is one called OVLT. OVLT stands for the organum vasculosum of the lateral terminalis. It is what's called a circumventricular organ.”

“The OVLT can send signals to other brain areas, and then, those other brain areas can do things like release hormones that can go and act on tissues in what we call the periphery, in the body, and, for instance, have the kidneys secrete more urine to get rid of salt that's excessive salt in the body or have the kidneys hold onto urine, to hold onto whatever water or fluid that one might need”

“the OVLT has a very limited barrier. It can detect things in the bloodstream, and this incredible area of the brain, almost single-handedly, sets off the cascades of things that allow you to regulate your salt balance, which turns out to be absolutely critical, not just for your ability to think and for your neurons to work, but indeed, for all of life.”