Skip to main content

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

Meaning

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (HPA) is the crucial neuroendocrine system that integrates the central nervous system and the endocrine system, serving as the master regulator of numerous physiological processes, including stress response, growth, reproduction, and metabolism. It comprises the hypothalamus in the brain and the pituitary gland situated below it, which communicate via releasing and inhibiting hormones and direct neural connections. This intricate control system ensures systemic homeostasis through finely tuned hormonal feedback loops.