RT Book, Section
A1 Robertson, Gary L.
A2 Hauser, Stephen L.
A2 Josephson, S. Andrew
SR Print(0)
ID 1147190765
T1 DISORDERS OF THE NEUROHYPOPHYSIS
T2 Harrison's Neurology in Clinical Medicine, 4e
YR 2018
FD 2018
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259835865
LK neurology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1147190765
RD 2024/04/18
AB The  neurohypophysis,  or  posterior  pituitary,  is  formed  by  axons  that  originate  in  large  cell  bodies  in  the  supraoptic  and  paraventricular  nuclei  of  the  hypothalamus.  It  produces  two  hormones:  (1)  arginine  vasopressin  (AVP),  also  known  as  antidiuretic  hormone,  and  (2)  oxytocin.  AVP  acts  on  the  renal  tubules  to  reduce  water  loss  by  concentrating  the  urine.  Oxytocin  stimulates  postpartum  milk  letdown  in  response  to  suckling.  A  deficiency  of  AVP  secretion  or  action  causes  diabetes  insipidus  (DI),  a  syndrome  characterized  by  the  production  of  large  amounts  of  dilute  urine.  Excessive  or  inappropriate  AVP  production  impairs  urinary  water  excretion  and  predisposes  to  hyponatremia  if  water  intake  is  not  reduced  in  parallel  with  urine  output.