Neurohypophysial disorders Flashcards
Where does vasopressin act?
Renal cortical and medullary collecting ducts
What are the principal actions of vasopressin?
Stimulates synthesis and assembly of aquaporin 2
Increased water transport
Increased water reabsorption- antidiuretic
Acts on V2 receptors
What are the other actions of vasopressin?
Vasoconstrictor activity- V1a
Corticotrophin release- V1b
Factor VIII and Von Willebrand factor release- V2
Central effects
What is the action of oxytocin?
Constriction of myometrium at parturition
Milk ejection reflex
What happens if you lack oxytocin?
Nothing serious- effect is induced by something else
What happens if you lack vasopressin?
Diabetes insipidus
What are the two forms of diabetes insipidus?
Central (cranial)- Absence or lack of circulating vasopressin
Nephrogenic- Kidney resistance to vasopressin
How is central diabetes insipidus caused?
Damage to the neurohypophysial system: Injury Surgery Cerebral thrombosis Tumours Granulomatous infiltration of median eminence
Idiopathic
Familial (rare)
How is nephrogenic DI caused?
Familial (rare)
Drugs
What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes insipidus?
Large volumes of urine- polyuria Very dilute urine- hypo-osmolar Thirst and increased drinking- polydipsia Dehydration Disruption of sleep Electrolyte imbalance
What is the cycle in diabetes insipidus?
If you are unable to make vasopressin, you can’t reabsorb water so this leads to an increase in urine excretion and a reduction in extracellular fluid volume. This will lead to an increase in plasma osmolarity so that will lead to osmoreceptors triggering vasopressin release and it will trigger thirst, this will lead to drinking, decrease in plasma osmolarity and expansion of extracellular fluid volume
If a patient has a plasma osmolarity above 290mOsm.kg H2O^-1, what do they have?
Diabetes insipidus
If a patient has a plasma osmolarity below 270 mOsm.kg H2O^-1, what do they have?
Polydipsia
What is psychogenic polydipsia?
Central disturbance that increases the drive to drink
What two tests do you use to distinguish between polydipsia, central and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus?
Fluid deprivation test
Desmopressin (DDAVP)
What results in terms of urine osmolarity will you see in a fluid deprivation test of a normal person, someone with polydipsia and people with central and nephrogenic DI?
In a normal person, fluid deprivation will stimulate vasopressin system and they will release AVP and concentrate the urine so urine osmolarity increases and plasma osmolarity will remain normal
In polydipsia, vasopressin works fine so response is same as normal
In central/nephrogenic DI, there will be little or no change in urine osmolarity as vasopressin system doesn’t work