Role of serotonin in the hypothalamic regulation of pituitary function

Serotonin is only one of numerous neurotransmitters that may have roles in the regulation of pituitary secretion. The literature pertaining to serotoninergic involvement in the hypothalamic control is large, and a report of this type cannot provide a comprehensive review of that literature. Instead, the data presented and the literature cited were intended to be illustrative of the use of drug intervention and other techniques for probing the role of serotonin in the regulation of pituitary secretion. Clearly further studies with each of the pituitary hormones are needed, and the development of drugs acting on serotonin neurons with greater specificity can be a strong impetus to progress in this research area.