Which gland is under hypothalamic control and releases hormones that influence metabolism?

• A. Hypothalamus
• B. Pineal Gland
• C. Adrenal Glands
• D. Pituitary Gland

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that the hypothalamus regulates metabolism by controlling another gland that releases hormones affecting metabolic rate. The hypothalamus sends releasing and inhibiting signals to the pituitary gland, which then secretes hormones that influence metabolism. The most direct link is thyroid-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary, which triggers the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones. These thyroid hormones ramp up the body's basal metabolic rate and manage how energy is used. So, the pituitary gland is the gland under hypothalamic control that releases hormones with a decisive effect on metabolism. The pineal gland is more about sleep-wake cycles via melatonin, and the adrenal glands influence metabolism as well but do so mainly through signals that originate from the pituitary, not directly from the hypothalamus.