2-Minute Neuroscience Hypothalamus & Pituitary Gland Video Lecture - A-Z

Welcome to 2 minute neuroscience, where I
simplistically explain neuroscience topics
in 2 minutes or less.
In this installment I will discuss the hypothalamus
and pituitary gland.
The hypothalamus is a small region situated
directly above the brainstem.
It is made up of a collection of nuclei with
a variety of functions, but in general the
hypothalamus is involved in controlling the
two H’s: homeostasis and hormones.
Homeostasis is a term used to describe the
maintenance of balance or stability in a biological
system.
The hypothalamus can maintain homeostasis
either by exerting direct influence over the
autonomic nervous system, or by causing the
release of hormones.
The hypothalamus manipulates hormone release
primarily by controlling the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland is a hormone-secreting
gland that sits just below the hypothalamus.
It is sometimes called the “master gland”
because it not only secretes many extremely
important hormones but it also regulates the
activity of other hormone-secreting glands
throughout the body.
The pituitary gland consists of two lobes,
called the anterior and the posterior pituitary.
The anterior pituitary is responsible for
the release of a number of hormones that have
widespread effects throughout the body.
They include growth hormone, which is involved
with growth, follicle-stimulating hormone,
which plays a role in development and reproduction,
luteinizing hormone, which is essential to
testosterone production and reproduction,
adrenocorticotropic hormone, which is involved
with the stress and fear responses, thyroid
stimulating hormone, which is important to
healthy metabolism, and prolactin, which promotes
milk production in females.
The release of these hormones is controlled
by the hypothalamus, which sends signals in
the form of releasing hormones to tell the
anterior pituitary when to secrete its hormones.
The posterior pituitary also secretes two
hormones, but does not synthesize them.
Instead, they are synthesized by the hypothalamus
and then sent to the posterior pituitary for
release into the bloodstream.
The names of these hormones are: oxytocin
and vasopressin.
Oxytocin has important roles in facilitating
childbirth and lactation, but is also thought
to have a role in compassion and social bonding.
Vasopressin's main functions are to control
urine output and regulate blood pressure.