Main description:

Although physiological and anatomical evidence had clearly indicated for many years that the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones is under control by the central nervous system, it is only recently that the isolation and determination of structure of three hypo- thalamic hypophysiotropic hormones have been accomplished. This has brought the concept of neurohormonal control of adenohypophyseal function into precise biochemical and chemical terms. The relative ease of synthesis of TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone), LH-RH (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone), somatostatin and their analogues has opened a new era in the field of endocri- nology and has led to a rapid expansion of our knowl- ge of the control of anterior pituitary function. The rapid evolution of fundamental and clinical research on hypothalamic hormones and the many potential clinical applications indicate the importance of inte- grating the knowledge gained in recent years.
This is well illustrated in the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Hypothalamus and Endocrine Functions held in Quebec City on September 21-24th, 1975, which indi- cates that impressive progress has been made in large variety of aspects of hypothalamic hormone research.

Contents:

Control of Hypothalamic Hormone Secretion.- Relation of the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Gonadal System to Decline of Reproductive Functions in Aging Female Rats.- Role of Prostaglandins (PGs) in the Control of Adenohypophyseal Hormone Secretion.- Adrenergic and Cholinergic Inputs to the Amygdala: Role in Gonadotropin Secretion.- Neurotransmitters and Control of Pituitary Function.- Clinical Applications of LH-RH and TRH.- Studies on the Diagnostic Use of LH-RH.- Diagnostic and Therapeutic Use of LH-RH in the Infertile Man.- Therapeutic Use of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone in the Human Female.- Somatostatin.- Clinical Implications of Growth Hormone Release Inhibiting Hormone (GH-RIH).- Somatostatin and the Endocrine Pancreas.- Mechanism of Action of Hypothalamic Hormones and Steroid Feedback.- New Aspects of the Mechanism of Action of Hypothalamic Regulatory Hormones.- Steroid Binding in the Hypothalamus and Pituitary.- Role of Sex Steroids on LH and FSH secretion in the Rat.- The Role of Estradiol in Modulating LH and FSH Response to Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone.- Control of PRL and GH Secretion and Action.- Control of Prolactin Secretion in Man.- Neuropharmacological Aspects of the Neural Control of Prolactin Secretion.- Episodic GH Secretion: Evidence for a Hypothalamic Dopaminergic Mechanism.- Hormonal Control of Liver Prolactin Receptors.- Chemistry and Assay of Hypothalamic Hormones.- Suppression of Gonadotropin Release and Ovulation in Animals by Inhibitory Analogs of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone.- Isolation and Characterization of Hypothalamic Peptide Hormones.- Analogs of Somatostatin. Part A. Chemistry and In Vitro Results.- B. In Vivo Activities: Prolongation of Action with Protamine Zinc.- In Vivo Methods for Studying the Action of Hypothalamic Hormones with Special Reference to their Antisera as Tools for Investigation.- Applications of Adenohypophyseal Cell Cultures to Neuroendocrine Studies.- Localization of Hypothalamic Hormones.- Immunohistochemical Localization of Hypothalamic Hormones at the Electron Microscope Level.- Immunohistochemical Localization of Hypothalamic Hormones (especially LRF) at the Light Microscopy Level.- Abstracts.- Contributors.