Section 39.2 (Exam 3/4) Hormones

Question 1

What are the characteristics of neural signals?

Answer 1

Are very fast

Can rapidly communicate complex information

Can be turned off quickly

Question 2

What are the characteristics of endocrine signals?

Answer 2

Are slow

Must diffuse and circulate; often act through cellular process such as protein synthesis

Responses are sustained

Question 3

Describe the location, function, and structure of the pituitary gland.

Answer 3

attached to the hypothalamus of the brain

connects the nervous and endocrine systems

has two parts: anterior pituitary and posterior pituitary

Question 4

Describe the anterior pituitary.

Answer 4

controlled by hypothalamic neurohormones that travel through portal blood vessels

Question 5

Describe the posterior pituitary.

Answer 5

contains axons of hypothalamic neurons that release neurohormones

Question 6

Hypothalamic neurons secrete 2 peptide neurohormones into the posterior pituitary. What are they?

Answer 6

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin

Question 7

Describe the function of antidiuretic hormone (ADH).

Answer 7

Increases the water retained by the kidneys when necessary

Also called vasopressin- it causes the constriction of peripheral blood vessels to elevate blood pressure

Question 8

Describe the function of oxytocin.

Answer 8

Stimulates uterine contractions in childbirth and milk flow

The baby’s suckling stimulates neurons in the mother’s brain that cause secretion of oxytocin

Question 9

What are the 4 tropic hormones which control other endocrine glands and are secreted by the anterior pituitary?

Answer 9

Thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH)

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Corticotropin (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, ACTH)

Question 10

What are the two gonadotropins?

Answer 10

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Question 11

What are the two things that growth hormones stimulate?

Answer 11

• stimulate cells to take up amino acids
• stimulate liver cells to produce signals to stimulate growth of bone and cartilage

Question 12

What is a result of growth hormone overproduction or underproduction?

Answer 12

Gigantism or dwarfism

Question 13

What are endorphins and enkephalins?

Answer 13

neuro-transmitters in the brain; natural painkillers

Question 14

What is melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) ?

Answer 14

stimulates production of melanin in skin and hair

Question 15

What is the function of prolactin in humans?

Answer 15

mammary gland development and milk production

Question 16

The hypothalamus does not extend neurons to the anterior pituitary. How does the hypothalamus control the anterior pituitary?

Answer 16

The hypothalamus produces releasing hormones that reach the anterior pituitary via the – portal blood vessels that run through the pituitary stalk

Question 17

What are two examples of hypothalamic releasing hormones that can control the anterior pituitary?

Answer 17

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

Question 18

How do the endocrine glands control the anterior pituitary and the hypothalamus?

Answer 18

Using negative feedback, every time an endocrine gland releases hormones, some of them bind to the hypothalamus and some bind to the anterior pituitary, informing them that the hormone has been released, which stops the release of the releasing hormones.

Question 19

What produces oxytocin, and what is oxytocin’s behavioral effect?

Answer 19

hypothalamus produces oxytocin

promotes bonding between mother and baby, and pair bonding in many animals, including humans

Question 20

What would happen if oxytocin were blocked in new mothers?

Answer 20

new mothers would be struggle to breastfeed and bond with their baby

Question 21

How can sex-hormones affect the nervous system?

Answer 21

strong influence on behavior (e.g. testosterone-aggression and anger)

Question 22

What is the function of irisin?

Answer 22

mediate effects of exercise on the brain

many experiments show that exercise improves cognitive functions