TRH

Generality

Thyrotropin releasing hormone is a small pepetide produced by the hypothalamus. Also known as TRH (acronym from "English"Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone”), Once secreted by the hypothalamus, reaches the anterior pituitary, where it stimulates the release of hormones: thyrotropin (TSH), prolactin (which ensures milk supply at the end of pregnancy) and growth hormone (GH).

If for some reason the TRH does not reach the "pituitary", the pituitary will not produce the necessary TSH and the thyroid will not be induced to produce T3 and T4. As a result, the person will experience a condition of poor thyroid function (hypothyroidism).

In the presence of hypothyroidism, it is the task of the endocrinologist to ascertain whether the "responsibility" for the lack of stimulation of the thyroid is due to:

• To the pituitary, which for various reasons does not secrete TSH (eg tumors or trauma of the pituitary);
• The hypothalamus, which does not produce TRH, does not stimulate the pituitary to release TSH.

What's this

Also known as Thyrotropin Release Factor (TRF), TRH is a small molecule, made up of the union of three amino acids: pyroglutamic acid, histidine and proline.

The hormone's target is the anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis).