File:Hypothalamus endocrine system.jpg

Hypothalamus Endocrine Axis

The hypothalamus is a small region located within the brain that controls many bodily functions, including eating and drinking, sexual functions and behaviors, blood pressure and heart rate, body temperature maintenance, the sleep-wake cycle, and emotional states (e.g., fear, pain, anger, and pleasure). Hypothalamic hormones play pivotal roles in the regulation of many of those functions. Because the hypothalamus is part of the central nervous system, the hypothalamic hormones actually are produced by nerve cells (i.e., neurons).

The anterior pituitary produces several important hormones that either stimu- late target glands (e.g., the adrenal glands, gonads, or thyroid gland) to produce target gland hormones or directly affect target organs. The pituitary hormones include adreno- corticotropic hormone (ACTH); gonadotropins; thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), also called thyrotropin; growth hormone (GH); and prolactin.

The first three of those hormones— ACTH, gonadotropins, and TSH— act on other glands. Thus, ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to pro- duce corticosteroid hormones— primarily cortisol—as well as small amounts of female and male sex hor- mones. The gonadotropins comprise two molecules, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These two hormones regulate the production of female and male sex hormones in the ovaries and testes as well as the production of the germ cells—that is, the egg cells (i.e., ova) and sperm cells (i.e., spermatozoa). TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce and release thyroid hormone. The remaining two pituitary hormones, GH and prolactin, directly affect their target organs.

Reference

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