3. Physiology
        3.11. Neurophysiology
3.11.7. Circumventricular organs

Circumventricular organs

[Ref: WG21:p617-620]

4 areas in or near the brain stem which are outside the blood-brain barrier

  1. Posterior pituitary
    * Including the nearby median eminence of the hypothalamus
  2. Area postrema (AP)
  3. Organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT)
  4. Subfornical organ (SFO)

 

Posterior pituitary

ADH and oxytocin are released from posterior pituitary

 

Area postrema

(Chemoreceptor trigger zone)

On the floor of the 4th ventricle

Chemoreceptor trigger zone that initiates vomiting in response to chemical changes in plasma

 

OVLT

(Osmoreceptor)

SFO

(Thirst centre)

Angiotensin II acts here to increase thirst

 

 

 

Other notes

 



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