[Recent progress in research on the central regulation of growth hormone secretion (author's transl)]

The secretion of pituitary and peripheral hormones is regulated by a chain of reactions in the central nervous system. According to current knowledge this chain consists of the following links: external and internal stimuli leads to mesencephalon leads to limbic system leads to monoaminergic neurones leads to hypothalamic nuclei leads to liberines (releasing hormones) and inhibines (inhibiting horomones) leads to portal system leads to pituitary leads to peripheral endocrine gland. Long-loop and short-loop feedbacks regulate the activity of this relay system. The monoaminergic neurones secrete neurotransmitters, of which three are presently known: norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Most likely there also exists a cholinergic neurotransmitter. The secretion of neurotransmitters can be increased or reduced by specific drugs. On this basis, certain neuroendocrinopathies, such as deprivation dwarfism, hypothalamic acromegaly, and anorexia nervosa, may be treated speciafically. The pituitary secretion of growth hormone (GH) takes place mainly at night during deep sleep (slow-wave-sleep). This secretory pattern develops during the first year of life. It reaches its peak during puberty. At that time GH-spikes also occur during daytime. During adulthood GH secretion slowly diminishes again and at senescence it corresponds to early childhood.