File:William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_(1825-1905)_-_Thirst_(1886).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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thirst

thumb|Thirst (1886), by William-Adolphe Bouguereau Thirst is the craving for potable fluids, resulting in the basic instinct of animals to drink. It is an essential mechanism involved in fluid balance. It arises from a lack of fluids or an increase in the concentration of certain osmolites, such as sodium. If the water volume of the body falls below a certain threshold or the osmolite concentration becomes too high, structures in the brain detect changes in blood constituents and signal thirst.

AI overview

Thirst is the body's craving for fluids that triggers the instinct to drink, serving as an essential mechanism to maintain proper fluid balance. This sensation arises when the body detects either a drop in water volume or an increase in salt concentration, with specialized brain structures recognizing these changes and signaling the need to drink.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

7,021 papers

Thirst: neuroendocrine regulation in mammals.ReviewVeterinary research communications · 2023Todini L, Fantuz FDOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10104-2
Thirst in heart failure: A scoping review.Nursing open · 2023Chen Y, Ding J, Xi Y et al.DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1818
Thirst in heart failure: what do we know so far?ReviewCurrent opinion in supportive and palliative care · 2018Allida SM, Hayward CS, Newton PJDOI: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000314
Regulation of Thirst and Vasopressin Release.ReviewAnnual review of physiology · 2019Bichet DGDOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-020518-114556
TMEM63B functions as a mammalian hyperosmolar sensor for thirst.Neuron · 2025Zou W, Deng S, Chen X et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.02.012
Thirst in patients on chronic hemodialysis: What do we know so far?ReviewInternational urology and nephrology · 2020Bossola M, Calvani R, Marzetti E et al.DOI: 10.1007/s11255-020-02401-5
Thirst.ReviewNutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) · 2000Stricker EM, Sved AFDOI: 10.1016/s0899-9007(00)00412-3
Thirst as an ingestive behavior: A brief review on physiology and assessment.ReviewNutrition and health · 2020Adams JD, Myatich AI, McCullough ASDOI: 10.1177/0260106020916972

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Wikidata facts

Image: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Thirst (1886).jpg

Show 2 more facts

Commons category: Thirst
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/SYMP_0000156

Sources (5)

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~9 min read

Article

12 sections

Contents

Detection
Decreased volume
Renin-angiotensin system
Others
Cellular dehydration and osmoreceptor stimulation
Salt craving
Elderly
Thirst quenching
Neurophysiology
See also
References
Further reading

Continuous dehydration can cause acute and chronic diseases, but is most often associated with renal and neurological disorders. Excessive thirst, called polydipsia, along with excessive urination, known as polyuria, may be an indication of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.