Hypothalamus

Introduction

The hormones produced by the hypothalamus include:

• Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRF)

• Dopamine

• Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

• Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH)

• Oxytocin

• Somatostatin

• Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone

What is the hypothalamus, where is it located, and what's important about the hormones it produces?

Located in the brain, the hypothalamus connects to the pituitary gland. It is responsible for producing several hormones that control the pituitary gland. These include the below.

• Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRF): a peptide hormone (made up of amino acids) which circulates widely throughout the nervous system and is responsible for regulating the body’s response to stress. In addition, it is believed to regulate anxiety, mood, blood pressure, inflammation, and gastric emptying.

• Dopamine: a neurotransmitter and hormone which plays a role in the brain’s “reward center”. It’s function as a neurotransmitter is slightly different from its function as a hormone. As a hormone, it is released into the bloodstream, and it plays a role in the fight or flight response. It is also the feel-good hormone and what is responsible for the sense of pleasure you may feel, as well as the motivation to continue doing something when you’re feeling good. This is one of the reasons why sugar and junk foods are so addictive, because they trigger a large release of dopamine making you feel like you want more.

• Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH): the pituitary gland uses GnRH to stimulate the release of Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone which make the sex hormones of testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. GnRH is critical to sexual maturity, sex drive, and fertility.

• Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH): simply put, it’s the peptide hormone that specifically stimulates the pituitary to produce and release Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

• Oxytocin: made in the hypothalamus, but stored and released by the pituitary gland, this hormone manages aspects of male and female reproduction, can stimulate uterine contractions for childbirth and lactation following childbirth, and manages aspects of behavior. It’s associated with trust, recognition, relationships, sexual arousal, romantic attachment, and the bonding between parents and their infants. It is one of the few hormones that has a positive feedback loop, meaning that once it’s released it leads to the pituitary being stimulated to release even more of it.

• Somatostatin: a hormone that regulates a variety of functions in the body through its ability to block the release of other hormones. In addition, it regulates the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and prevents cells from rapidly producing. Somatostatin can also act as a neurotransmitter.

• Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone: the simplest of the hypothalamic hormones with only 3 amino acids in a chain and one that is incredibly short-lived, breaking down in a matter of minutes and only traveling a couple inches in the blood stream to the pituitary gland. It stimulates the synthesis and release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin by the pituitary gland. This hormone can also act as a neurotransmitter.

As you can see, one gland in the body produces a lot of hormones that play a role in relationships, stress, the health of the gastrointestinal tract, and more. Is it possible that when unwanted symptoms are experienced, specifically in the and gut, that hormones may be playing a larger role? Absolutely. Stay tuned as we post more article that explore this topic. 

References:

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Dopamine. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22525-gonadotropin-releasing-hormone

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Oxytocin. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22618-oxytocin

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Somatostatin. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22856-somatostatin

Dutta, S. S. (2019, January 2). Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone (CRH). News Medical Life Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Corticotropin-Releasing-Hormone.aspx

Science Direct. (n.d.). Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/corticotropin-releasing-hormone

Utiger, R. D. (n.d.). thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/thyrotropin-releasing-hormone

Vance M. L. (1990). Growth-hormone-releasing hormone. Clinical chemistry, 36(3), 415–420. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2107038/