Full Description
During the last decade it has become evident that the brain is an important target for hormones. Although it has been discovered only recently that the brain contains numerous peptide hormones, the role of pituitary and hypo thalamic hormones in brain activity has been the subject of basic studies for quite some time. Peptide hormones are involved in mental performance. pain perception, food and water metabolism. sleep. sexual behaviour and nursing behaviour, and disturbances in the hormonal climate of the brain may be associated with psychopathology. cognitive disturbances and. possibly. addic tion. The clinical influence of neurohypophysial hormones and their frag ments is studied today on learning and memory. on inadequate behaviour and addiction, in Parkinson's disease. Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. depression and schizophrenia. Fragments of adrenocorticotrophin have been shown to affect motivation, concentration and attention. and neuropeptides derived from ‾-lipotrophin are probably involved in psychopathology. Thyrotrophin releasing hormone has been implicated in depression. and lutein-releasing hormone in sexual disturbances. In spite of the impressive experimental data; clinical results to date have been controversial and. to some extent. anecdotal. In some cases they have been exciting. and in others disappointing. It was against this background that the International Health Foundation decided to organize and sponsor their workshop on 'The brain as an endo crine target organ in health and disease' at which the papers appearing in this book were presented.
Contents
Section 1: Receptors and peptidergic pathways in the brain.- 1.1 Hormone receptors in the brain.- 1.2 Toward an understanding of the multiplicity of glucocorticoid actions on brain function and behaviour.- 1.3 Effects of sex steroids on cell membrane excitability: a new concept for the action of steroids on the brain.- 1.4 Changing concepts about neuroregulation: neurotransmitters and neuromodulators.- 1.5 Cholecystokinin and bradykinin: putative peptide neurotransmitters.- 1.6 Growth hormone-dependent polypeptides and the brain.- 1.7 On the multiplicity of active substances in single neurons: ?-endorphin and ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone as a model system.- 1.8 Neurohypophysial hormones and their distribution in the brain.- Section 2: Hormones and behaviour.- 2.1 Peptides and adaptive behaviour.- 2.2 Structure and behavioural activity of peptides related to corticotrophin and lipotrophin.- 2.3 Effects of neuropeptides on adaptive autonomic processes.- 2.4 Endorphins and schizophrenia.- 2.5 Effects of MIF-I and TRH on the brain.- 2.6 Neurohypophysial hormones and addiction.- 2.7 Androgens and behaviour.- 2.8 Female hormones and brain function.- 2.9 Hormones and sexual impotence.- Section 3: Psychopathology as a consequence of hormone dysfunction.- 3.1 Amphetamines and psychosis.- 3.2 Endorphins and pain.- 3.3 Central vasopressin function in affective illness.- 3.4 ECT, mood and hormones.- 3.5 Neurohypophysial peptides and ethanol.- Section 4: Hormonal changes in psychopathology.- 4.1 Circadian changes in pituitary hormone levels in manic-depressive illness.- 4.2 Hormonal changes as a consequence of jet lag: corticotrophic axis.- 4.3 Aspects of brain development in children and adolescents with pituitary growth hormone deficiency.- 4.4 Hormonal effects ofneuroleptics and dopamine: relationship with change in psychopathology.- 4.5 Hormonal changes in addiction.
