Human Pituitary Hormones: Circadian and Episodic Variations

ISBN-13: 9789400982840 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 361 str.

E. Van Cauter; G. Copinschi

Opis

During the last decade, circadian and episodic fluctuations of the plasma levels of pituitary hormones have been demon~ trated in man. The interest in the time dependence of the pituitary secretions partially originates from their close functional relation with the neuroendocrine mechanisms pre- sumably responsible for the control of the circadian.rhyth- micity in man. High frequency blood sampling techniques and specific radio- immunoassays have allowed to describe in detail the varia- tions over the 24-h cycle of the hormonal concentrations in healthy individuals under basal conditions as well as after manipulation of external synchronizers such as the sleep- wake cycle, the dark-light cycle and the feeding schedule. Alterations in normal hormonal var~ions have been sugges- ted to play a role in the etiopathogeny of several metabo- lic and mental diseases, such as obesity or manic-depressio~ Important clinical implications regarding treatment and pre- vention are expected to be developed in the near future. However, so far, data obtained in different groups are dif- ficult to compare because different hormones were studied using different protocols and statistical methods. As a result, unclear or controversial issues are not uncommon.

Spis treści

1. Quantitative methods for the analysis of circadian and episodic hormone fluctuations.- Discussion.- 2. The sleep-wake pattern of cortisol and growth hormone secretion during non-entrained (free running) conditions in man.- 3. Search for a primate model of human sleep-related hormone secretion.- Discussion.- 4. Adaptation of 24-hour hormonal patterns and sleep to jet lag.- Discussion.- 5. Effect of an imposed 21-hour sleep-wake cycle upon the rhythmicity of human plasma thyrotropin.- Discussion.- 6. Physiological factors influencing the nyctohemeral pattern of TSH.- 7. Circadian and ultradian variations in serum TSH and thyroid hormones in normal man and in patients with treated and untreated primary hypothyroidism.- Discussion.- 8. Control of pituitary-adrenal periodicity.- Discussion.- 9. Influence of drug administration on ACTH circadian rhytm.- Discussion.- 10. Hormonal rhythms in pituitary tumors.- Discussion.- 11. Circadian variation of plasma growth hormone in normal subjects and diabetic patients. Effects of somatostatin infusion, age and body weight.- Discussion.- 12. Circadian and circannual changes of pituitary and other hormones in healthy human males: their relationship with gonadal activity.- Discussion.- 13. Clinical implications of gonadotropin rhythms.- Discussion.- 14. Pituitary and pineal hormone rhythms in manic depression.- Discussion.- 15. Circadian rhythm of plasma gonadotropins, prolactin and growth hormone levels in anorexia nervosa: Correlations with hypophysial tests.- Discussion.- General Discussion.- List of participants.