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Hypophysiotropic Regulation of Stress-Induced ACTH Secretion

  • Chapter
Mechanisms of Physical and Emotional Stress

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 245))

Abstract

Actual and perceived deviations from the homeostatic state evoke numerous physiological adjustments, including activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). The primary endproducts of this cascade (adenohypophysial opioid and adrenocortical glucocorticoid secretion) result in mobilization of energy substrates, suppression of nonessential systems such as digestion and reproduction, inhibition of inflamatory responses, and alteration of pain and sensory perception (1, 2). An overview of the information flow through the HPA is presented in Fig. 1. Most stimuli which elicit ACTH secretion must first be encoded as neurochemical messages within the central nervous system, undergo processing and must then be transformed into a hypophysiotropic signal recognized by corticotropes within the adenohypophysis. By now, it is appreciated that regulation of ACTH secretion is mediated by multiple factors of hypothalamic, neurohypophysial and peripheral origins. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF; 3,4), arginine vasopressin (AVP; 5,6) and epinephrine (EPI; 7,8) are secreted from nerve endings within the zona externa of the median eminence into the hypophysial-portal circulation. Other putative regulatory factors of hypothalamic origin include oxytocin (OT; 9,10) and angiotensin II (AII; 11, 12). In addition, circulating neurohypophysial AVP and OT, and catecholamines of sympathetic nervous system and adrenomedullary origins may participate in regulation of ACTH secretion under certain circumstances. Superimposed upon this regulatory network are the multiple actions of the glucocorticoids acting at both the pituitary and central nervous system levels to modulate basal and stimulus-induced secretion of ACTH (13).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, C.A., 92037, USA

    Paul M. Plotsky

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  1. National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    George P. Chrousos , D. Lynn Loriaux  & Philip W. Gold ,  & 

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Plotsky, P.M. (1988). Hypophysiotropic Regulation of Stress-Induced ACTH Secretion. In: Chrousos, G.P., Loriaux, D.L., Gold, P.W. (eds) Mechanisms of Physical and Emotional Stress. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 245. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2064-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2064-5_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2064-5

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