Neural Control of the Pituitary Gland.—I

Abstract

Most endocrine glands either lack a-nerve supply or receive only a scanty innervation. The adrenal cortex is believed to be devoid of any nerve supply (Teitelbaum, 1942), whilst the nerve fibres described in the ovary, testis, thyroid, and adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary gland) are probably vasomotor in function. There is no sound evidence that these glands are dependent for their functional activity on a direct secretomotor nerve supply: such dependency seems to be true for only two endocrine glands-the adrenal medulla and neuro- hypophysis (posterior pituitary gland). P V.N.