Neuroendocrine syndromes: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Symptoms of neuro-exchange-endocrine syndromes are determined by the degree and nature of dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. A feature of neuroendocrine syndromes is their clinical polymorphism and close connection with vegetative, emotional and motivational disorders. Numerous functions of the hypothalamus, their dependence on neurotransmitter control, close two-way communication with other structures of the limbic-reticular complex, its involvement in the cerebral systems of neuroendocrine, psycho-vegetative regulation largely determine the clinical polymorphism of neuro-exchange-endocrine syndromes.

Difficulties in diagnosis in neuroendocrine pathology are largely related to the need for their differentiation with primary endocrine and somatic pathology. A difficult and sometimes insoluble task is to elucidate the nosological nature of neuro-exchange-endocrine syndromes. Numerous etiological factors that can lead to organic pathology of the hypothalamic region (neoplastic and granulomatous processes, developmental defects, vascular pathology, meningitis, encephalitis, etc.) require a clinical analysis of the corresponding nosological units and paraclinic methods for their diagnosis.

It should be emphasized that neuroendocrine syndromes as a result of the listed current organic processes in the central nervous system are rare. The overwhelming majority of patients with neuroendocrine syndromes, which most often have to deal with a doctor in everyday practice, can not detect organic brain damage. In these cases, there appears to be a constitutionally conditioned biochemical defect in hypothalamic regulation, which is decompensated under the influence of various external environmental influences (hormonal changes, various types of stress, infections, somatic diseases, trauma). Usually it is possible to identify this or that neuroendocrine pathology in the immediate relatives of these patients, complications during the prenatal and natal periods. In addition, neuroendocrine syndromes can occur after emotional stress, against the background of psychopathological disorders, under the influence of pharmacological drugs that affect brain neurochemistry.

In a number of cases, a constitutional predisposition to neuroendocrine manifestations can not be detected. Such syndromes are extremely dynamic, usually occur after the cessation of the adverse factors that caused them. The revealed leading role of cerebral neurotransmitters in controlling the production of releasing and inhibiting factors of the hypothalamus makes it possible to understand the neurodynamic nature of these neuroendocrinal syndromes, in some cases, possibly not associated with a stable congenital biochemical defect.

It should be emphasized that in the formation of clinical manifestations of neuroendocrine syndromes, not only local changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary region play a role, but also disturbances of hypothalamic connections with other structures of the LRC.

Currently, the study of neurochemical regulation of cerebral systems responsible for neuro-exchange-endocrine functions and the formation of biological motivations is actively continuing. The role of biochemical processes in the genesis of most neuro-exchange-endocrine syndromes makes it more optimistic to look at the possibilities of their therapy. The leading role in the treatment begins to play drugs that affect the neurochemistry of the brain. Continuing research on the synthesis of drugs that affect the releasing factors of the hypothalamus allows us to hope for significant prospects for therapeutic possibilities in the near future.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]