The
pituitary gland is an organ that is located at the base of
the brain. It is responsible for secreting a number of hormones
that regulate various aspects of body function, including
growth, reproduction, and production of the sex hormones estrogen
and testosterone. Because the pituitary hormones control so
many other aspects of body function, the pituitary is often
called the "master gland of the body".
The pituitary is also involved in the body's response to stress.
When a stressful situation is experienced, the hypothalamus
stimulates a hormone (corticotropin-releasing factor or CRF)
that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete another hormone
called adrenocorticotropin (ACTH); ACTH in turn directs the
adrenal glands to secrete the
stress hormones that cause the body's response to stress:
the "fight-or-flight"
response.
by Catherine E. Myers. Copyright © 2006 Memory Loss and the Brain |
