Melanin-concentrating hormone in the human brain
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 8, 2026

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra
Published on: September 8, 2021
T Mouri1, K Takahashi, H Kawauchi
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan.
Abstract:
The presence of human melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) was studied in the human brain by radioimmunoassay and immunocytochemistry. Immunoreactive MCH concentrations in the human brain ranged from 0.07 to 19.7 pmol/g wet weight. High performance liquid chromatography of the hypothalamus showed a large immunoreactive peak in the position of human/rat MCH, which was eluted 9 min later than that of salmon MCH. Free-floating sections (40 microns) of the hypothalamus were immunostained. Positive MCH immunostaining was found in perifornical, tuberomammillary, and posterior nuclei. Numerous MCH-immunoreactive nerve fibers were observed throughout the hypothalamus. The presence of high concentrations of MCH in the human brain, in particular in the hypothalamus, suggests that MCH is a neurotransmitter, a neuromodulator, or a neurohormone in man.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Pigmentation
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
The Pineal Gland
The primary secretion of the pineal gland is the hormone melatonin, derived from serotonin. The concentration of melatonin in the...
Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
The Blood-brain Barrier
Major Hormones and Their Functions
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.

