Cervical sympathectomy affects adrenocorticotropic hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone in rats
| Journal | Journal of Anesthesia |
| Publisher | Springer Japan |
| ISSN | 0913-8668 (Print) 1438-8359 (Online) |
| Issue | Volume 10, Number 3 / September, 1996 |
The present results suggest that cervical sympathectomy in the rat increases ACTH secretion and decreases TSH secretion in the pituitary. These effects seem to be due to a mildly increased secretion of melatonin in the pineal body that probably in turn increases corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) secretion and decreases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) secretion in the hypothalamus. Extrapolation of these findings to humans suggests that longterm and repeated stellate ganglion block would affect the pituitary secretions of ACTH and TSH.