NEURAL CONTROL OF THE PITUITARY GLAND

Abstract

This review is concerned with the evidence relating to neural excitation and control of both the neurohypophysis and adenohypophy-sis. There is an unusually long list of references (450). For the neurohypophysis the subjects considered are: (1) nerve supply (origin, course, termination): (2) neural control over the neurohypophysis in relation to the antidiuretic hormone (with evidence from lesions, indirect stimulation, muscular exercise and emotion, hypertonic solutions, cranial and sensory nerve stimulation, admn. of drugs, and direct stimulation), in relation to the uterus, in relation to blood sugar, blood pressure, and intestinal peristalsis; and (3) nature of the substance liberated by the neurohypophysis on electrical stimulation of the supraoptico-hypophyseal tract. For the adenohypophysis, the subjects considered are: evidence that the adenohypophysis is under neural control; possible nerve pathways, i.e., the cervical-sympathetic system, other auto-nomic nerves, the hypothalamus and hypophysial stalk (in production of gonadotrophic, lactogenic, thyrotrophic, adenotrophic, and diabetogenic hormones); difficulties in accepting a direct secreto-motor innervation; and evidence concerning neuro-vascular transmission of stimuli to the adenohypophysis.