Page 16 - Winter2017

Hormones in the hypothalamus, through a vein directly to like a blow to the head, or from subtle shifts in
6
5
from the a capillary bed in the anterior pituitary. They the fascia.
Dr. Weston A. Price, in his seminal work,
do not go through the systemic circulation, nor

hypothalamus do they pass through the heart and lungs. They Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, noted
7
inform the arrive directly at the anterior pituitary (also that vitamin E deficiency produced changes
pituitary that known as the adenohypophysis), where they consistent with those of hypophysectomy (sur-
gical removal of the pituitary gland). Down
convey their instructions to yet another set of
there’s work hormones, the tropic hormones. syndrome, prolonged gestation possibly with
to be done. Hypothalamic-releasing hormones include: resorption of the fetus, incomplete calcification
of the skull and degranulation of the anterior
• Growth hormone-releasing hormone pituitary are all abnormalities Dr. Price was
(GHRH) aware of in connection with vitamin E complex
• Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) deficiency.
• Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) The anterior pituitary synthesizes and
• Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) releases specific hormones in response to the
• Prolactin (PRL). arrival of releasing, or inhibitory, hormones
from the hypothalamus. The anterior pituitary
Countering, or putting the brakes on secretes:
the synthesis and release of tropic hormones
from the anterior pituitary, are two additional • Somatotropins such as growth hormone
hormones from the hypothalamus. These are (GH)
inhibitory hormones: • Corticotropins such as adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH)
• Growth hormone inhibiting hormone • Gonadotropins such as follicle-stimulating
(GHIH), also called somatostatin hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone
• Prolactin inhibiting hormone (PIH) also (LH)
called dopamine. • Lactotropins such as prolactin (PRL)
• Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).
THE PITUITARY
Hormones from the hypothalamus inform SOMATOTROPINS
the pituitary that there’s work to be done. Tropic Somatotrophs are the most abundant cells
hormones from the anterior pituitary then go in the anterior pituitary. These anterior pituitary
out into the body to set the appropriate work- cells release somatotropic hormones (somato-
response into action. tropins), particularly GH (growth hormone or
The pituitary gland was in past years hGH for human growth hormone) in response
known as the master gland but lost that title as to releasing GHRH from the hypothalamus. GH
awareness of hypothalamus function increased. travels through the bloodstream to the tissues of
Current thinking is that the hypothalamus is the the body, particularly the liver, skeletal muscle
central controlling agent, whose role is to notify and cartilaginous structures such as fascia,
the pituitary to send out deputy messengers joints and bones. In the pancreas, GH stimulates
to the tissues (and the cells of which they are the release of glucagon, a hormone whose name
made), which do the actual work. means “glucose is all gone,” to activate a rise in
The pituitary gland rests in the sella turcica blood sugar. In other tissues GH elicits synthesis
(Latin for Turkish saddle), a small indentation in and secretion of IGFs (insulin-like growth fac-
the sphenoid bone. The sphenoid bone is notable tors).
because it comes into contact with every other IGFs prompt cells to grow by activating
bone of the cranium or skull. The significance uptake of both the increased glucose in the
of this is that any shift in position of the cranial blood as well as of amino acids and their in-
bones affects the pituitary. Such a positional corporation as proteins into the substance of a
8
shift could come from obvious physical trauma tissue. In childhood and adolescence, the effect

16 Wise Traditions WINTER 2017