Neuro-endocrine function

Neuro-endocrine function refers to the complex integrated mechanism by which the nervous system and the endocrine system coordinate to maintain physiological homeostasis [1]. This process primarily involves the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which translate neural signals into chemical messengers (hormones) that regulate growth, metabolism, and reproduction [2]. It is not a single molecular target but a broad physiological category encompassing various signaling pathways, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis [3]. Dysregulation of these functions leads to diverse clinical conditions, ranging from metabolic diseases like diabetes to specialized malignancies known as neuroendocrine tumors [4]. In pharmacology, drugs do not target 'neuro-endocrine function' as a whole; instead, they target specific components like receptors or enzymes within these axes to modulate the system's output [5]. (Citations: [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541017/; [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020111/; [3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12456300/; [4] https://www.cancer.gov/types/neuroendocrine; [5] https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd2193)

Other names

Neuroendocrine systemNeuroendocrine signalingNeuroendocrinologyHypothalamic-pituitary axis

As a physiological system rather than a single molecule, mechanisms involve hormone replacement, agonism or antagonism of specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and modulation of nuclear receptors to restore homeostatic balance.