Disorders of vasopressin Flashcards
Where is vasopressin released from?
- Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is produced in the hypothalamus, as well as Oxytocin and both are stored in the posterior pituitary
- The posterior pituitary is anatomically continuous with the hypothalamus
- Connected via hypothalamic magnocellular neurons
- AVP is located in the supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei of the hypothalamus, go down the neurons, then to the P.P
- Oxytocin is located in the paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of the hypothalamus, go down the neurons, then to the P.P
What is the main physiological action of vasopressin?
Stimulation of water reabsorption in the renal collecting duct
- Concentrates urine (reduces urine volume)
- Acts through the V2 receptor in the kidney
- Also acts as a vasoconstrictor (via V1 receptor) to increase b.p
- Also stimulates ACTH release from the anterior pituitary
Describe the mechanism by which vasopressin stimulates water reabsorption
- AVP in the blood travels to the renal collecting duct and binds to V2 receptors on the basolateral membrane of the duct
- Binding stimulates cascade
- Cascade stimulates the formation of aquaporin-2 channels on the apical membrane
- More H2O molecules taken into the lumen and out of the basolateral membrane into the blood
How does the posterior pituitary appear on an MRI?
- “bright spot”
- Not visulaised in all healthy individuals, so absence may be normal variant
What 2 factors stimulate vasopressin release?
- OSMOTIC:
Rise in plasma osmolality sensed by osmoreceptors - NON-OSMOTIC: (stretch)
Decrease in atrial pressure sensed by atrial stretch receptors
Where are the osmoreceptors located?
Situated in 2 nuclei:
1. Organum vasculosum (of the lamina terminalis)
2. Subfornical organ
- both nuclei sit around the 3rd ventricle (circumventricular)
- No blood brain barrier (so neurons can respond to changes/ v. good at sensing conc of blood)
- Highly vascularised
- Neurons project to the supraoptic nucleus- site of vasopressinergic neurons
How do osmoreceptors regulate vasopressin?
- There is an increase in extracellular Na+
- Water flows out of the osmoreceptors
- Osmoreceptors change in shape (shrink)
- Leads to osmoreceptor firing
- Stimulates vasopressin release from hypothalamic neurons (AVP will increase the water to decrease the Na+ conc)
Describe the mechanism by which Non- osmotic stimulation of vasopressin release?
- Atrial stretch receptors detect pressure in the right atrium
- Inhibit vasopressin release via vagal afferents to hypothalamus
- Reduction in circulating volume (e.g. haemorrhage) means less stretch of these atrial receptors, so less inhibition of vasopressin (vasopressin can increase Na+ conc/ b.p)
Why is vasopressin released following a haemorrhage (ie reduction in circulating volume)
- Vasopressin release results in increased water reabsorption in the kidney (some restoration of circulating volume) V2 receptors (INCREASES BLOOD VOL)
- Vasoconstriction via V1 receptors (INCREASES BP)
- Renin-aldo system also activated
Describe the physiological response to water deprivation
- Increased plasma osmolality (conc of plasma)
- Simulates osmoreceptors
- Can lead to thirst OR increased AVP release
- Increased AVP= increased water rebasoption from renal collecting ducts
- Leads to reduced urine volume, increase in urine osmolality (conc)
- Leads to reduction in plasma osmolaltiy (more water reabsorbed from the blood)
What is diabetes insipidus?
When an individual expereinces symptoms of poyluria, extreme thirst, nocturia and polydipsia due to a problem with arginine vasopressin (NOTHING TO DO WITH INSULIN/ TYPE 1 OR 2 DIABETES MELLITUS)
What are the symptoms of Diabetes Insipidus?
- Polyuria
- Nocturia
- Polydipsia (extreme thirst)
What are the different types of diabetes insipidus a person can have?
- Cranial (central) diabetes insipidus
- Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
What is the difference between cranial and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus?
- CRANIAL:
- Problem with hypothalamus &/ or posterior pituitary
- Unable to MAKE arginine vasopressin
“vasopressin insufficiency”
- More common - NEPHROGENIC:
- Can make arginine vasopressin (normal hypothalamus & posterior pituitary)
- Kidney (collecting duct) unable to RESPOND to it
“ vasopressin resistance”
- Less common
What are some causes of cranial diabetes insipidus?
ACQUIRED:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Pituitary surgery
- Pituitary tumours
- Metastasis to the pituitary gland (e.g breats)
- Granulomatous infiltration of pituitary stalk (e.g. TB, sarcoidosis) [vasopressin cannot travel via stalk from the hypothalamus to the posterior pituitary]
- Autoimmune
CONGENITAL: rare