The Acth Axis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment

"In this outstanding volume, Dr. Gaillard has assembled a team of international experts who have written one of the most comprehensive treatises on this topic. Ranging from fundamental molecular developmental mechanisms of the corticotroph cell, to the treatment of Cushing's Disease, these chapters provide a cutting edge overview of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of disordered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function. Especially noteworthy are the inclusion of chapters on appetite control and neuro-immunomodulation, reflecting the recent exciting advances in these fields.
The student of Cushing's Disease and the HPA axis will find elucidation of the latest basic scientific advances, coupled with patient friendly guidelines for clinical diagnosis and management of an extremely challenging neuroendocrine disorder. The repute of the authors, highest quality writing, lucid text and comprehensive coverage of the topics, all blend to result in an excellent text."

Inhalt

1. Ontogeny of the pituitary corticotroph system.- 2. Proopiomelanocortin gene expression in man.- 3. Multifactorial regulation of the corticotroph axis: animal models.- 4. CRH-receptors and their ligands.- 5. ACTH precursors in different pathological conditions.- 6. Interactions between the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and the immunological system.- 7. Pituitary corticotroph SOCS-3: an important regulator of POMC gene expression.- 8. The melanocortin pathway and food intake.- 9. The ACTH receptor and its mutations.- 10. Leptin and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.- 11. Cushing's syndrome due to aberrant adrenal hormone receptors.- 12. Cushing' s syndrome - The diagnosis and diffrential diagnosis.- 13. Lost and found: The pars intermedia of the human pituitary and its role in the histogenesis of silent "corticotroph" adenomas.- 14. Therapeutic strategies in Cushing' s disease.- 15. Syndromes of glucocorticoid resistance.