All the following hormones are secreted by anterior pituitary EXCEPT

JIPMER Nursing Officer-2017

Applied Physiology

Easy

Appeared in: JIPMER Nursing Officer-2017

Explanation

GRH, or Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone, is the correct answer because it is not secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.
It is a neurohormone produced in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.
Its primary function is to travel through the hypophyseal portal system to the anterior pituitary, where it stimulates the release of Growth Hormone (GH).
Therefore, it is a hypothalamic 'releasing' hormone, not an anterior pituitary hormone.

Option A: This is incorrect because Growth Hormone (GH) is one of the primary hormones synthesized and secreted by the somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland.
Option C: This is incorrect because Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is secreted by the thyrotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid.
Option D: This is incorrect because Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is a gonadotropin secreted by the gonadotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Hormones of the Anterior Pituitary Gland as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the source of each hormone is fundamental for diagnosing endocrine disorders. For instance, low GH levels could stem from a pituitary problem (secondary deficiency) or a hypothalamic problem (tertiary deficiency, i.e., lack of GRH).
Nurses often administer diagnostic tests involving these hormones. For example, a GRH stimulation test helps differentiate between hypothalamic and pituitary causes of growth hormone deficiency.
What if? If a patient has low GH levels, and after administering synthetic GRH, their GH levels rise significantly, it indicates the pituitary gland is functional. The problem is likely a deficiency of GRH from the hypothalamus.

How to Approach the Question

First, recognize the negative framing of the question due to the word 'EXCEPT'. This means you are looking for the option that does not fit the stated condition.
The core concept is the origin of hormones from the 'anterior pituitary'.
Recall the major hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary. A helpful mnemonic is 'FLAT PEG' (FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, Prolactin, Endorphins, GH).
Evaluate each option against this list.
GH (Growth Hormone), TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone), and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) are all part of the anterior pituitary group.
GRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) has 'Releasing Hormone' in its name, which is a strong clue that it originates from the hypothalamus to control the pituitary. This makes it the outlier and the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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