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Negative Feedback Sensitivity

Meaning

Negative Feedback Sensitivity refers to the responsiveness of an endocrine control center, typically located in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, to circulating levels of its target hormones. This sensitivity dictates how effectively the control center detects changes in hormone concentration and adjusts the release of its own regulatory hormones to maintain physiological homeostasis. Clinically, altered negative feedback sensitivity is a hallmark of various endocrine disorders, such as primary and secondary hypothyroidism or hypogonadism. A reduced sensitivity requires higher circulating hormone levels to achieve the necessary suppression, while an increased sensitivity can lead to inappropriate suppression at normal levels.