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Hormonal Axis

Meaning

A Hormonal Axis describes the specific hierarchical communication pathway involving the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and a peripheral endocrine gland, such as the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) or HPG (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal) systems. These axes operate via negative and positive feedback loops to maintain endocrine homeostasis across the body. Understanding the integrity of these axes is fundamental to clinical assessment.