The dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus receives information from neurons and humors involved in feeding regulation, body weight and energy consumption, and then passes this information on to brain regions involved in sleep and wakefulness regulation, body temperature and corticosteroid secretion.

The DMH sends information to the ventrolateral preoptic area, locus coeruleus, and orexinergic neurons in order to aid in the regulation of wakefulness.

This displays that the DMH also plays a role in the increase of heart rate and blood pressure as cardiovascular responses to stress.

[5] The DMH is also a part of the pathway corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) takes when it is secreted by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and it is involved in the flow from the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal gland.

[6] It was found in the study done by Gooley et al. that lesions in DMH neurons in rats prevented food entrainment of wakefulness, locomotor activity, and core body temperature.