Endocrine Feedback Loop Sensitivity is the physiological measure of how responsive the central regulatory glands—the hypothalamus and pituitary—are to the circulating concentrations of peripheral hormones. This sensitivity determines the precision and speed with which the body adjusts hormone production to maintain homeostasis. A diminished sensitivity leads to dysregulated hormone levels and systemic imbalance. Optimal sensitivity ensures precise and adaptive hormonal control.
Origin
This is a foundational concept in classical endocrinology, describing the negative and positive feedback mechanisms that govern all major hormonal axes, such as the HPA (stress), HPT (thyroid), and HPG (reproductive) axes. The term highlights the clinical importance of the responsiveness of these loops, rather than just the absolute hormone levels. It is a critical metric for assessing the integrity of the endocrine communication network.
Mechanism
The mechanism centers on the density and affinity of hormone receptors, particularly glucocorticoid and sex steroid receptors, located on the cell membranes of the hypothalamus and pituitary. When peripheral hormone levels rise, they bind to these receptors, signaling the central glands to reduce the secretion of their respective releasing and stimulating hormones, such as CRH, ACTH, TRH, TSH, GnRH, LH, and FSH. Impaired sensitivity means the central brake is less effective, resulting in inappropriate or excessive hormonal signaling.
We use cookies to personalize content and marketing, and to analyze our traffic. This helps us maintain the quality of our free resources. manage your preferences below.
Detailed Cookie Preferences
This helps support our free resources through personalized marketing efforts and promotions.
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website, improving user experience and website performance.
Personalization cookies enable us to customize the content and features of our site based on your interactions, offering a more tailored experience.