Biology of the Mind: The Term Paper

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This system results in stable blood concentrations of the hormones that are regulated by the pituitary gland (Reiser and Kemp, p.1).

This complex system of self-regulation means that there are multiple opportunities for the glands to stop working properly.

The hypothalamus, which is located in the brain, is, in many ways, the control center of the endocrine system. The hypothalamus secretes hormones that, in turn, either suppress or stimulate hormone release by the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then uses the messages it receives from the hypothalamus to govern its secretion of stimulating hormones to other glands in the endocrine system. The pituitary gland sends messages to other glands in the endocrine system, as well as producing important hormones that regulate bodily functions without requiring the intervention of other glands. The hormones produced by the pituitary gland include: growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, vasopressin, and oxytocin. The parathyroid glands release parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium levels in the bone and regulates bone metabolism. The adrenal glands have two parts: the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids. The adrenal medulla produces catecholamines, such as adrenaline. The pineal body secretes melatonin. The reproductive glands secrete sex hormones and are responsible for the production of sperm or eggs. The pancreas secretes insulin and glucagon, which control blood sugar.

Of particular interest in terms of mental health, is the thyroid. In many ways the thyroid is a multi-purpose gland. It is responsible for regulating the metabolism. However, its role is not limited to the metabolism. The thyroid is instrumental in the brain and nervous system development in children, including children in utero, so that a mother with a malfunctioning thyroid gland may have an impact on a fetus. The thyroid is also responsible for helping regulate a number of other bodily systems.

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The thyroid is implicated in helping "maintain normal blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, muscle tone, and reproductive functions" (Reiser and Kemp, p.4). However, what some doctors are beginning to suspect is that the thyroid plays a much greater role in regulating the brain than previously believed.

"In patients with depression, anxiety and other psychiatric problems, doctors often find abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormone. Treating the problem, they have found, can lead to improvements in mood, memory and cognition" (Brown). This had led some doctors to believe that even subclinical hypothyroidism, which means a lower-than-normal level of thyroid hormone levels, which was previously believed not to have a negative health impact, might actually impact mental health. The belief is that treating any thyroid abnormalities in those suffering from mental illnesses might help alleviate the symptoms of those mental illnesses, just as regulating thyroid levels in those with clinical levels of thyroid disorders has helped alleviate their symptoms.

Even more interesting is the fact that some of the traditional treatments for mental illnesses may actually impact thyroid functioning, so that, rather than alleviating symptoms, they may worsen them. For example, lithium, which is commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, can actually cause the thyroid to malfunction (Brown). In a scenario where a person with a malfunctioning thyroid is misdiagnosed as bipolar and given lithium to treat the disorder, the medication could actually be exacerbating the problem. Of course, at this point in time, doctors do not understand the entire interaction between the thyroid and mental health. One might imagine that future discoveries will reveal that other hormones might impact the brain in a similar fashion. Therefore, the endocrine system is very interesting for a student of mental health.

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