Hormones and the Brain (kapitel 5)

Question 1

The word hormones, comes from the greek word horman, which means?

Answer 1

To excite.

Question 2

A hormone is?

Answer 2

A chemical secreted by an endocrine gland that is conveyed by the bloodstream and regulates target organs or tissues.

Question 3

Explain how endocrine communication happen, compared to the neurocrine (synaptic) communication.

Answer 3

In endocrine communication, the chemical signal is a hormone released into the bloodstream, to selectively affect distant target organs (p. 128).. In neurocrine or synaptic communication, the released chemical signal diffuses across the synaptic cleft and causes changes in the postsynaptic membrane (as we saw in chapter 3 and 4).

Question 4

What is meant by autocrine communication?

Answer 4

A chemical signal that is secreted by a cell into its environment, and then feeds back to the same cell.

Question 5

What does a peptide hormones consist of?

bonus; Can you name some peptide hormones?

Answer 5

Peptide hormones is a class of hormones, which consist of a string of amino acids. If the string of amino acids is long enough, it may be called a protein hormone.

(Insulin, Thyroid-stimulating hormone, Oxytocin and more on p. 131).

Question 6

Complete the sentence:

“Steroids dissolve readily in lipids, so they easily..”

Answer 6

”.. pass trough membranes”. (#thelipidbilayer).

Question 7

Hormones affect many everyday behaviors in humans and other animals. They exert these far-reaching effects in two ways, which are?

Answer 7

1. Promoting the proliferation, growth, and differentiation of cells and ..
2. by modulating cell activity.

Question 8

“The relationship between behavior and hormones is..”

Answer 8

”.. reciprocal: Hormones change behavior, and behavior change hormones”.

Question 9

How does neuroendocrine communication work?

Answer 9

Neuroendocrine cells are the interface between neurons and endocrine glands. In this way electrical signals are converted into hormonal signals, so:

Neuron -> neuronendocrine cell -> Bloodstream.

Question 10

What is peptide hormones?

Answer 10

A class of hormones, molecules of which consists of a string of amino acids. If the string of amino acids is long enough, it may be called a protein hormone.

Question 11

What is amine hormones?

Answer 11

(Also called monoamine hormones). A class of hormones, each composed of a single amino acid that has been modified into a related molecule, such as melatonin or epinephrine.

Question 12

Explain what a second messenger is.

Answer 12

Its a slow-acting substance in a target cell that amplifies the effects of a synaptic or hormonal activity and regulates activity within the target cell.

So, when a hormone binds to a recepter, a second messenger inside the cell either alteres the cell function and/or creates multiple biological effects.

Question 13

What characterizes steroid hormones?

Answer 13

For one, they typically act more slowly than protein or amine hormones. The specific actions, is determined by the receptors that reside inside the target cell. And also, by regulating gene expression, steroid hormones can affect a vast array of cellular processes.

Question 14

What is meant by a nongenomic effect?

Answer 14

It is an effect of a steroid hormone that is not mediated by direct changes in gene expression.

Question 15

Peter Bang har engang givet udtryk for, at en ganske speciel ting skal være anført på den første artikel han udgiver. Hvad er det, Peter gerne vil have anført?

Answer 15

At han er fra Randers.

Question 16

What is a transcription factor?

Answer 16

A substance that binds to recognition sites on DNA and alters the rate of expression of particular genes.

Question 17

What kind of messenger (thats a hint) is cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP?

Answer 17

A second messenger activated in target cells in response to synaptic or hormonal stimulation.

Question 18

Explain the hormonal ‘negative feedback’ mechanism.

Answer 18

Output of the hormone feeds back to inhibit the drive for more of that same hormone (p. 136).

Question 19

The Pituitary Gland is located just X to the hypothalamus. What is X?

Answer 19

Under.

Question 20

The Pituitary Gland can be divided into two parts. What are they?

Answer 20

Anterior- and posterior pituitary gland

Question 21

Where is the pituitary stalk located? And what does it mainly consist of?

Answer 21

It’s a thin piece of tissue that connects the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus and it mainly consists of axons and with blood vessels.

Question 22

The Axons in the pituitary stalk leads information to? And the blood vessels in the pituitary stalk leads information to?

Answer 22

Axons = Posterior pituitary

Blood Vessels = Anterior pituitary

Question 23

I Christians køkken hænger der et billede af en musikalsk duo der spiser burgere. Duo’en står bl.a. bag hits som “Can i Get Get Get” & “Shake Your Coconuts”. Hvad er navnet på duo’en?

Answer 23

Junior Senior.

Question 24

The Posterior pituitary gland secretes mainly two principal hormones. What are they?

Answer 24

Oxytocin & (arginine) vasopressin.

Question 25

The Supraoptic nucleus, is a hypothalamic nucleus containing.. ?

Answer 25

..neuroendocrine cells that send axons to the posterior pituitary to release oxytocin or vasopressin.

Question 26

What is the main function of vasopressin?

Answer 26

It inhibits the formation of urine. (a terrific thing, if you are standing at a festival, in the middle of a crowd for example).

Question 27

Oxytocin is involved in many aspects of.. ?

Answer 27

.. reproductive, sexual and parental behavior (like milk letdown reflex).

Question 28

So, where is the oxytocin and vasopressin produced?

Answer 28

In the hypothalamus, in neuroendocrine cell bodies.

Question 29

What does the median eminence refer to?

Answer 29

The midline feature on the base of the brain marking the point, at which the pituitary stalk exits the hypothalamus to connect to the pituitary. (bonus: It contains elements of the hypophyseal portal system). p. 141

Question 30

The Hypophyseal portal system is a?

Answer 30

..Duplex system of capillaries spanning between the neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus and the secretory tissue of the anterior pituitary. p. 141

Question 31

As you might recall from a prior question.. The hormones in the anterior pituitary travel from the hypothalamus only a very short distance by axons, and then they travel to the anterior pituitary by?

Answer 31

Blood. (Which is also the title of a great album by Lianne La Havas).

Question 32

What is the function of Tropic (Spoken: Tr(oe)pic) hormornes ?

Answer 32

They regulate endocrine glands throughout the body.

Question 33

Name at least 3 of the 5 tropic hormones mentioned int the book. (p. 141).

Answer 33

Prolactin, Gonadotropic hormones (FSH and LH), Thyroid-stimulating hormone, ACTH, Growth Hormone. (To read about them specifically, see p. 142 - 143).

Question 34

The hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells that synthesize the releasing hormones are themselves subject to two kinds of influence. Describe them.

Answer 34

1. circulating messages; such as other hormones, bloodsugar and immune system.
2. synaptic input: from many other brain regions.

Question 35

Where is the adrenal cortex located?

Answer 35

Kind of on top of the kidney (p. 142).

Question 36

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Answer 36

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Question 37

Where is the adrenal medulla located? And what hormones does it secrete?

Answer 37

It’s the inner core of the adrenal gland, which secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Question 38

What effect does the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine have on the body?

Answer 38

Prepare the body for action (a classic fight or flight).

Question 39

The adrenal cortex produces and secretes a variety of steroid hormones, collectively called?

Answer 39

Adrenocorticoids.

Other hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex are sex steroids, such as androstenedione

Question 40

What does Thyroid hormones regulate?

Answer 40

Growth and metabolism.

Question 41

What is aldosterone implicated in?

Answer 41

Its a mineralocorticoid hormone, secreted by the adrenal cortex, that induces the kidneys to conserve sodium ions.

Question 42

Name to thyroid hormones.

Answer 42

Triiodothyronine and thyroxine (is released from the thyroid gland, that have widespread effects, including growth and maintenance of the brain.).

Question 43

The Adrenal cortex secretes:

Answer 43

Glucocorticoids (corticosterone, cortisol), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) and sex steroids

Question 44

Its a bit fun that the peptide X appears to play an important role in governing the onset of puberty. X is?

Answer 44

Kisspeptin.

Question 45

The pineal gland secretes an amine hormone called?

Answer 45

Melatonin.

Question 46

The pineal gland is located?

Answer 46

Atop the brainstem and is in mammals overlain by the cerebral hemispheres. The pineal gland is also a single structure (there is no left or right hemisphere, as there often is with the brain).

Question 47

Melatonin is secreted at a specific time. Is that true or false?

Answer 47

True. Almost exclusively at night. (Bonus; it is also used to treat jetlag).