Gwinup G
Calif Med. 1967 Mar;106(3):159-64.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system is a complex negative feed-back control mechanism. Under non-stress conditions it functions to maintain a circadian rhythm of adrenal steroid production which is secondary to a circadian fluctuation in the sensitivity to suppression of acth by hydrocortisone. Any stressful stimulus causes an augmentation of steroid production which is due in part to a decrease in sensitivity of acth to suppression. Aldosterone production is not primarily controlled by acth. The increased understanding of this system and of its pathologic alterations has led to the development of a number of pharmacologic techniques which have proved most valuable in evaluating its integrity. Hypothalamic-pituitary function can be assessed by the response to the administration of dexamethasone, methopyrapone, bacterial pyrogen and vasopressin. Adrenal cortical function can be assessed by the response to acth, dexamethasone and spironolactone.
下丘脑 - 垂体 - 肾上腺皮质系统是一种复杂的负反馈控制机制。在非应激条件下，它的功能是维持肾上腺类固醇生成的昼夜节律，这继发于氢化可的松对促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）抑制作用敏感性的昼夜波动。任何应激刺激都会导致类固醇生成增加，这部分归因于ACTH对抑制作用的敏感性降低。醛固酮的生成主要不由ACTH控制。对该系统及其病理改变的深入了解，促使了一些药理学技术的发展，这些技术在评估其完整性方面已被证明具有极高价值。下丘脑 - 垂体功能可通过对地塞米松、甲吡酮、细菌致热原和血管加压素给药的反应来评估。肾上腺皮质功能可通过对ACTH、地塞米松和螺内酯的反应来评估。
