Lecture 2: Hypothalamic-Pituitary Relationships Flashcards
Which are faster: hormones or neurohormones?
Neurohormones
How is a neurohormone released? In what quantity?
Action potential in a neuron releases a neurohormone in the blood stream Very small quantities
What hormones travel between the hypothalamus and the pituitary?
Neurohormones
What are the general name of the neurohormones secreted by the hypo for the pit?
Releasing OR Inhibiting factors
What are the 3 main benefits of the neuroendocrine system?
- Fast
- Amplified response
- Extended reponse
What are the 3 types of hormone receptors in a cell?
- Membrane 2. Intracellular 3. Nuclear
What is a hypothalamic nucleus?
Group of neurons of the hypo that perform the same function
Label the hypo nuclei!
Hormone released by medial preoptic nucleus?
GnRH = LHRH
Hormone released by anterior hypothalamic area?
TRH
4 hormones released by paraventricular nucleus?
- Oxytocin 2. Vasopressin 3. CRH 4. TRH
What does TRH stand for?
Thyrotropin releasing hormone
What does CRH stand for?
Corticotropin releasing hormone
2 hormones released by supraoptic nucleus?
- Oxytocin 2. Vasopressin
Which 2 nuclei are sisters?
- Paraventricular 2. Supraoptic
Hormone released by ventromedial area?
GHRH
What does GHRH stand for?
Growth hormone releasing hormone
3 hormones released by the arcuate nucleus?
- GHRH 2. GnRH 3. Dopamine
Hormone released by periventricular nucleus?
Somatostatin
What connects the hypo to the pit? 2 names
Pituitary stalk = infundibulum
What are the 2 parts of the pit called? 4/3 names for each.
- Posterior pit = neurohypophysis = neural lobe = infundibular process 2. Anterior pit = adenohypophysis = pars distalis
What is the pit encased in?
Sphenoid bone
What is the sella turcica?
The area where the pit sits in the sphenoid bone
What is the median eminence?
The area where the hypo neurons terminate and release neurohormones into the pit blood supply
Describe the blood supply of the anterior pit.
- Carotid artery 2. Superior hypophyseal artery (ramifying near median eminence) 3. Primary capillary plexus = complex network of capillaries 4. Long portal veins 5. Secondary capillary plexus 6. Sinusoids filled with blood with hypothalamic factors
What part of the pit receives blood supply with hypo neurohormones? How is the other part stimulated?
The ANTERIOR pit receives blood and the posterior pit has hypo axons terminals right on it that connect to its vasculature
Describe the blood supply of the posterior pit.
Receives blood from inferior hypophyseal artery
How can a pit tumor affect vision?
The optic nerve and tract are directly superior to the pit so the tumor can push up on the nerve and damage vision
What is a macroadenoma? Treatment?
Greater than 10 mm in diameter pit tumor which causes the overproduction of hormones and that is so large that it is mechanically destructive to neighboring pit cells: could destroy them. Treatment: surgical removal = hypophysectomy
What hormones do the 2 most common pit tumors overproduce?
Most common one: prolactin Second most common: growth hormone