Hypothalamus and pituitary gland Flashcards

1
Q

An alternative name for the posterior pituitary gland

A

Neurohypophysis

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2
Q

An alternative name for the anterior pituitary gland

A

Adenohypophysis

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3
Q

What is the adenohypophysis?

A

Anterior pituitary gland

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4
Q

What is the neurohypophysis?

A

Posterior pituitary gland

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5
Q

What tissue is the pituitary gland composed of?

A
posterior = neural tissue
Anterior = glandular cuboidal tissue
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6
Q

What is the embryological origin of the anterior pituitary gland?

A

Derived from an evagination of the oropharynx of the primitive gut called Rathke pouch

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7
Q

What is the embryological origin of craniopharyngiomas?

A

tumours that form from cells left behind from Rathke pouch which should form the anterior pituitary gland

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8
Q

What is the Rathke pouch?

A

Emrybological origin of the anterior pituitary gland

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9
Q

What is another name for the pituitary gland?

A

The hypophysis

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10
Q

Which hormones are secreted by the posterior pituitary gland?

A

ADH and oxytocin

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11
Q

Which hypothalamic nucleus is responsible for ADH production?

A

Supra-optic nucleus

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12
Q

Where is ADH released?

A

Posterior pituitary gland

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13
Q

What is another name for ADH?

A

Vasopressin

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14
Q

What is vasopressin?

A

Another name for ADH

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15
Q

Which physiological changes induce ADH release?

A

Low blood pressure and high plasma osmolality - detected at the supra-optic nucleus

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16
Q

Which physiological changes inhibit ADH release?

A

Alcohol
High blood pressure
Low plasma osmolality

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17
Q

Which hypothalamic nucleus is responsible for oxytocin release?

A

Paraventricular nucleus

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18
Q

Which hormone is released by stimulation of the paraventricular nucleus?

A

Oxytocin in the posterior pituitary gland

Also corticotrophin releasing hormone and thyrotropin releasing hormone, to the hypophyseal portal system

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19
Q

Which hypothalamic nuclei serve the posterior pituitary gland?

A

The paraventricular (vasopressin) and the supra-optic nuclei (ADH)

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20
Q

What the communication between the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary gland called?

A

Hypothalamic hypophyseal tract (neural axons)

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21
Q

What is the communication between the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland called?

A

Hypothalamic hypophyseal portal system (vascular)

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22
Q

What does CRH stand for?

A

Corticotropin releasing hormone

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23
Q

Which cells does CRH stimulate?

A

Corticotropes in the anterior pituitary gland

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24
Q

Was does ACTH stand for?

A

Adrenocorticotropic hormone

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25
Q

What is the difference between CRH and ACTH?

A

CRH released by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalmus into the portal system to stimulare ACTH release from the anterior pituitary gland

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26
Q

What dose TRH stand for?

A

Thyrotropin releasing hormone

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27
Q

Which hormone stimulates thyrotropes?

A

TRH

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28
Q

Which cells release TSH?

A

Thyrotropes in the anterior pituitary gland

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29
Q

Which hormones are released by the arcuate nucleus?

A

GHRH + prolactin inhibiting hormone

30
Q

Where is GHRH released from?

A

arcuate nucleus to hypophysial portal system to anterior pituitary gland

31
Q

Which cells do GHRH stimulate?

A

Somatotropes

32
Q

Which hormone do somatotropes release?

A

GH

33
Q

What does PIH stand for?

A

Prolactin inhibiting hormone

34
Q

Which hormone does the hypothalamus have an inhibitory effect on?

A

Prolactin

35
Q

What is another name for PIH?

A

Dopamine

36
Q

How does the hypothalamus inhibit prolactin?

A

Releasing dopamine (AKA PIH) from the arcuate nucleus to the hypophyseal portal system to inhibit the lactotroph releasing prolactin from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland

37
Q

What is released by the pre-optic nucleus of the hypothalamus?

A

GnRH

38
Q

What does GnRH stand for?

A

Gonadotrophin releasing hormone

39
Q

Where is GnRH released?

A

Pre-optic nucleus of the hypothalamus

40
Q

Which hormone stimulates FSH and LH release?

A

GnRH

41
Q

Where are FSH and LH released?

A

From the gonadotrophic cells of the anterior pituitary

42
Q

Which hypothalamic nucleus is responsible for FSH and LH release?

A

Pre-optic nucleus via release of GnRH

43
Q

What does the pre-optic nucleus release?

A

GnRH

44
Q

What happens if the frequency of GnRH release increases?

A

LH is released from the anterior pituitary gland

45
Q

Which hormone specifically inhibits GH release?

A

Somatostatin

46
Q

What does somatostatin do?

A

Inhibits GH release, prolactin, TSH, insulin and glucagon

47
Q

Where is stomatostatin released from?

A

The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus

48
Q

How does fever affect the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus?

A

Increases the release of CRH

49
Q

How does hypoglycaemia affect the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus?

A

Increases the release of CRH

50
Q

How does hypothermia affect the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus?

A

Increases the release of TRH

51
Q

How does pregnancy affect the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus?

A

Increases the release of TRH

52
Q

What physiological states promotes GHRH release from the hypothalamus?

A

Low glucose in blood
High amino acids in blood
Low fatty acids in blood

53
Q

Average size and weight of the hypophysis

A

Pituitary gland weighs 0.6g and is 10-15mm in each dimension

54
Q

What does the hypophysis rest on?

A

The sella turcica in the sphenoid bone

55
Q

What is the difference between the pas tuberalis and pars distalis

A

Pars distalis - main bulk of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland
Pars tuberalis is the extending stalk of the anterior pituitary gland that attaches to the infundibulum of the posterior lobe

56
Q

Where does the hypothalamus receive its blood from?

A

Circle of willis

57
Q

Where does the neurohypophysis receive its blood from?

A

inferior hypophyseal arteries

58
Q

Where does the adenohypophysis receive its blood from?

A

Superior hypophyseal arteries

59
Q

Which veins drain the neurohypophysis?

A

The neurohypophysis drains into the dural sinus

60
Q

Where does the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland drain to blood to?

A

cavernous sinuses to superior and inferior petrosal sinuses to jugular vein

61
Q

Describe the structure of the hypophyseal portal system

A

superior hypophyseal arteries form a primary capillary network which drains to the long portal vein to form a second capillary network in the anterior lobe of the pituitary and then drains to the cavernous sinus

62
Q

Where doe the hypophysial arteries arise from?

A

The internal carotid artery

63
Q

What do the inferior and superior hypophysial arteries supply?

A

Inferior hypophysial artery supplies the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland
Superior hypophysial artery supplies the portal system to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland

64
Q

What is the embryological origin of the neurohypophysis?

A

Develops from neural crest cells on the floor of the third ventricle

65
Q

When is the hypothalamo-pituitary axis established in utero?

A

By 20 weeks gestation

66
Q

What does somatostatin inhibit?

A

Growth hormone, prolactin, TSH, insulin, glucagon

67
Q

What do magnocellular neurones in the hypothalamus produce?

A

oxytocin and ADH

68
Q

What do parvocellular neurones in the hypothalamus produce?

A

CRH TRH

69
Q

Where is dopamine released?

A

Arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, medulla of the adrenal glands, substantia nigra

70
Q

How does GnRH release change throughout the menstrual cycle?

A

Pulsatile frequency increases in follicular phase and decreases in luteal phase

71
Q

Where is the gene for GnRH located?

A

Chromosome 8

72
Q

Where is somastatin released from?

A

Periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, delta islet cells of the pancreas and the pylorus of the stomach