European Journal of Endocrinology · 1959 · 10 citations · 0 references
Life SciencesEndocrinologyNeuroscienceEndocrine SurgeryNeuroendocrinologyStress PhysiologyAdrenal EndocrinologyAdrenal HormonesAdrenal Steroid HormonesHypothalamic-pituitary RegulationNeuroendocrine PhysiologyPituitary Gland FunctionAdrenal Cortex FunctionAdrenal Hormone RegulationAdrenal PathophysiologyAdrenocortical SecretionHypothalamic FunctionHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axis SuppressionHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal FeedbackPituitary-adrenal Interaction
In many experimental animals hypothalamic lesions apparently interfere with the secretion of corticotrophin (ACTH) from the pituitary gland. Thus Ganong & Hume (1954) in dogs, Fulford & McCann (1955) and DeWied et al. (1958) in rats, demonstrated that destruction of the median eminence inhibits the compensatory adrenal hypertrophy following unilateral adrenalectomy. McCann (1953) and Bouman et al. (1957) have shown that similar lesions also prevent the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion following noxious stimuli, indicating a block in the reflex discharge of ACTH. Since stressful procedures fail to increase adrenal weight or to decrease the adrenal ascorbic acid concentration in hypophysectomized animals, the absence of response by the adrenal gland of animals bearing lesions in the median eminence must be due to an inhibition of corticotrophin secretion.