Tuberoinfundibular pathway explained

The tuberoinfundibular pathway refers to a population of dopamine neurons that project from the arcuate nucleus (the "infundibular nucleus") in the tuberal region of the hypothalamus to the median eminence.^[1] It is one of the four major dopamine pathways in the brain. Dopamine released at this site inhibits the secretion of prolactin from anterior pituitary gland lactotrophs by binding to dopamine receptor D2.

Some antipsychotic drugs block dopamine in the tuberoinfundibular pathway, which can cause an increase in the amount of prolactin in the blood (hyperprolactinemia).

Other dopamine pathways

Other major dopamine pathways include:

• Mesocortical pathway
• Mesolimbic pathway
• Nigrostriatal pathway

See also

• Antipsychotic
• Dopamine

External links

• • Diagram

Notes and References

1. Book: Malenka RC, Nestler EJ, Hyman SE . Sydor A, Brown RY . Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience . 2009 . McGraw-Hill Medical . New York . 9780071481274 . 249 . 2nd . Chapter 10: Neural and Neuroendocrine Control of the Internal Milieu . Relationship of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. The anterior pituitary, or adenohypophysis, receives rich blood flow from the capillaries of the portal hypophyseal system. This system delivers factors released by hypothalamic neurons into portal capillaries at the median eminence. The figure shows one such projection, from the tuberal (arcuate) nuclei via the tuberoinfundibular tract to the median eminence..