CHAPTER IX 



THE RELATION BETWEEN THE OVARY AND THE 

 ANTERIOR PITUITARY BODY 



[a) INTRODUCTION 



The observations and experiments recorded in Chapter VIII 

 make it evident that the ovary does not regulate its own 

 periodicity, and it is necessary, therefore, to look to some 

 somatic tissue for the source of this regulation. The evidence 

 suggests that a Somatic endocrine organ is responsible. 



For many years some connection has been assumed between 

 the gonads and the other endocrine organs: thus in experimental 

 and clinical studies, the thyroid, thymus, adrenals, and pitui- 

 tary body have all shown some correlation with the ovary 

 and testis. The evidence is not sufficiently definite to indi- 

 cate that the thyroid (656), thymus (444), or adrenals (154) 

 could be the seat of the regulation of ovarian periodicity. On 

 the other hand, very striking experiments have recently de- 

 monstrated a close relationship between the anterior pituitary 

 body and the ovary. 



Various authors, including Frohlich (234) and Cushing (150), 

 have pointed out that disorders of the anterior pituitary result 

 in marked aberration of sexual function, as well as in bodily 

 abnormalities such as gigantism. Both hypo- and hyper- 

 pituitarism have been described in association with amen- 

 orrhoea and infantile sex organs in the human female. The 

 experimental attack on the problem is comparatively recent, 

 and may be said to have begun with Evans' (182) observations 

 on the effect of pituitary extracts on the ovary, and with 

 Smith's (575) work on the effects of hypophysectomy on the 

 oestrous cycle. 



152 



