Brain Messengers and the Pituitary

Book excerpt: Brain Messengers and the Pituitary discusses the significant advances in neurotransmission and in understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of neuroendocrine control. This book is organized into seven chapters and begins with a discussion on the main biochemical and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying synaptic communication and the cotransmission and receptor plasticity. The following chapters describe the topographical localization and function of classical neurotransmitter and neuropeptide neurons. This book then presents the evidence on pituitary function control by the brain through specific hypophysiotropic regulatory hormones in relation to the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone and pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides, growth hormone, gonadotropins, prolactin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. A chapter focuses on the neuroendocrine effects of an increasing number of neuropeptides. This text further deals with the role of pituitary gland as the target of central nervous system-derived and peripheral hormonal influences. The concluding chapters look into the experimental evidence linking brain neurotransmitters to the secretion of hypothalamic hormones and to anterior pituitary hormones or to neuroendocrine feedback regulation. These chapters also explore the evidence for neurotransmitter-neuropeptide dysfunction as an etiology for specific neuroendocrine disorders and the potential of the neuropharmacologic approach to the diagnosis and therapy. Clinical neuroendocrinologists and researchers and students in neuroendocrinology, neurobiology, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, and psychiatry will find this book invaluable.