Circumventricular Organs: Definition and Role in the Regulation of Endocrine and Autonomic Function
Abstract
1. The circumventricular organs (CVO) are structures that permit polypeptide hypothalamic hormones to leave the brain without disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and permit substances that do not cross the BBB to trigger changes in brain function. 2. In mammals, CVO include only the median eminence and adjacent neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum lamina terminalis, subfornical organ and the area postrema. 3. The CVO are characterized by their small size, high permeability and fenestrated capillaries. The subcommissural organ is not highly permeable and does not have fenestrated capillaries, but new evidence indicates that it may be involved in the hypertension produced by aldosterone acting on the brain. 4. Feedback control of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) secretion is exerted by free steroids diffusing into the brain, but substances such as cytokines and angiotensin II act on CVO to produce increases in CRH secretion. Gonadal steroids also diffuse into the brain to regulate gonadotrophin-releasing hormone secretion. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone secretion is regulated by thyroid hormones transported across cerebral capillaries. However, CVO may be involved in the negative feedback control of growth hormone and prolactin secretion.
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Toxic compounds may gain access to the hypothalamus without needing to cross the blood-brain barrier.
“Therefore, toxic compounds may gain access to the hypothalamus without needing to cross the BBB (Ganong, 2000).”
From A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Ganong, 2000
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- Authors
- Ganong, W. F.
- Affiliations
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ganong, William F
- Venue
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2000-05
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 5-6
- Pages
- 422-427
- ISSN
- 0305-1870 (ISSN-L)
- 1440-1681
- OpenAlex
- W2106478990
- Cited by
- 307
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 8.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Keywords
- circumventricular organs, blood-brain barrier permeability, median eminence, neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, subfornical organ, area postrema, subcommissural organ, fenestrated capillaries, corticotropin-releasing factor, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, growth hormone regulation, prolactin regulation, cytokines, angiotensin II, sex steroids, hormonal regulation, autonomic regulation
- MeSH terms
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Animals, Blood-Brain Barrier, Cholecystokinin, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Hypothalamic Hormones, Pentobarbital, Pituitary Gland, Posterior, Prolactin, Saralasin, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone, Subcommissural Organ, Subfornical Organ
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