Hormonal and Neural Mechanisms Regulating Hormone Steroids Secretion

Hormonal and neural signals participate in regulating the synthesis and release of steroid hormones from the adrenals, ovaries and testicles. Hormonal signals arise from the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, thymus, adipose tissue, as well as from the adrenals, ovaries and testicles. Neural signals originating in the hypothalamus and other regions of the central and peripheral nervous system modulate the responses to the hormonal signals sent to the adrenals, ovaries and testicles. In female, the involvement of the adrenal and ovarian innervations in regulating the synthesis and release of steroid hormones have shown that right and left organs have different abilities to carry out these functions (Gerendai et al., 2000; Domínguez et al., 2003). The asymmetric capacity to release steroid hormones is related to differences in the origin and type of innervations received by right and left organs (Tóth et al., 2007; Gerendai et al., 2009). In addition, the way neuroendocrine signals participate in regulating steroid hormones secretion is different for each hormone, and the release of ovarian hormones is regulated according to the day of the estrus cycle. Scientific reviews on the biochemical steps that take place during the capture and processing of cholesterol and synthesis of steroid hormones, as well as in the regulation of the enzymes activities have been published in the last decade (Auchus & Miller, 2000; Straus & Hsue, 2000; Stocco, 2008; Boon et al., 2010; Chung et al., 2011). In such regard, the present chapter presents only a summary of those aspects we think are relevant to analyze the neuroendocrine regulation of steroid hormones secretion.