Central Regulation of the Pituitary-Adrenal Complex

Abstract

I. Role of Different Parts of the Brain as Regulators of the Pituitary-Adrenal System.- Role of the hypothalamus.- The hypothalamic factor stimulating ACTH secretion.- Influence of different parts of the hypothalamus.- The hypothalamus as a whole and as part of the central mechanism of regulation.- The limbic system of the telencephalon.- The amygdalar complex.- The hippocampus.- The septum.- Other structures of the limbic system.- The role of the mesencephalon.- The tegmentum mesencephali.- The mesencephalic reticular formation.- Emotional factors and the pituitary-adrenocortical system.- II. Adrenergic Structures and Regulation of Pituitary-Adrenal Function.- Noradrenalin as a hypothetical mediator in the brain.- Effect of catecholamines and substances exciting and blocking adrenergic structures on the pituitary-ad renocortical system.- Catecholamines and adrenomimetics.- Adrenolytics.- Ways in which catecholamines influence the pituitary-adrenal complex.- Peripheral catecholamines.- Effects of adrenomimetics on guinea pigs with an intact brain.- Action of adrenomimetics on guinea pigs after mesencephalic section.- Role of brain catecholamines.- Effect of local injection of noradrenalin into the brain on animals with an intact brain and with mesencephalic brain section.- III. Cholinergic Structures and the Regulation of Function of the Pituitary-Adrenal System.- Acetylcholine as a hypothetical mediator in the central nervous system.- Action of acetylcholine and of substances exciting and blocking cholinergic structures on the pituitaryadrenocortical system.- Pathways for the effect of acetylcholine on the pituitaryadrenal complex.- Role of peripheral cholinergic structures.- The role of central cholinergic structures.- Effect of anticholinesterase preparations on guinea pigs with an intact brain.- Action of anticholinesterase drugs after mesencephalic section.- Effect of local intracerebral injection of carbachol on animals with an intact brain and after brain section.- IV. Serotoninergic Structures and Regulation of Pituitary-Adrenal Function.- Serotonin as a hypothetical mediator in the central nervous system.- The adrenal cortex, stress, and serotonin.- Adrenalectomy.- Administration of adrenocortical hormones.- Stress and the serotonin content in the body.- Effect of serotonin on the pituitary-adrenal complex.- Disturbance of the serotonin balance and the pituitaryadrenal complex.- Changes in the rate of destruction.- Disturbance of the ability of the tissues to retain serotonin.- Changes in the intensity of synthesis.- The central action of serotonin.- Intraventricular injection of serotonin into animals with an intact brain.- Injection of serotonin into the lateral ventricle after mesencephalic section.- Localization of serotoninergic structures in the brain.- Hypothalamus.- Effect of 5-Hydroxytryptophan on the pituitary-adrenal system of animals with chronic deafferentation of the mediobasal hypothalamus.- The limbic system of the telencephalon.- Mesencephalon.- Conclusion.