LACTATION

Stimulus: Baby being breastfed

Sensor: Nipple stimulation caused by the baby’s sucking on the mother’s breast

Increased amount of Prolactin is secreted by the Pituitary Gland

Prolactin induced the development of mammary alveoli—the very site of milk production

Milk is produced, and when the stimulation stops, Prolactin levels in the blood revert to normal levels.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4811943/#:~:text=Prolactin%20is%20produced
%20mainly%20by%20the%20lactotroph%20cells%20in%20the%20anterior%20pituitary.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507829/#:~:text=Prolactin%20contributes%20to%20hundreds
%20of,actual%20production%20of%20milk%20occurs.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/prolactin-releasing-factor

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/vccs-tcc-ap1-2/chapter/feedback-loops/

THERMOREGULATION

Body temperature drops

Thermoreceptors signals the hypothalamus

Hypothalamus commences various physiological responses such as constriction of blood vessels to

decrease hit flow out the skin, shivering to increase heat production in muscles and secretion of
hormones to induce higher metabolic rates.

Once the temperature increased on normal levels, hypothalamus is no longer stimulated and hence,
physiological responses would halt.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zp29y4j/revision/3
STIMULUS: The baby
suckles on its mother’s
bosom. Pituitary gland secretes
Prolactin

LACTATION
POSITIVE FEEDBACK
MECHANISM

Milk is released and

Prolactin induced milk
once the stimulation
production in the
ceased, Prolactin levels
mammary alveoli
normalizes.
STIMULUS: Body
temperature drops

Thermoreceptors signals
THERMOREGULATION the hypothalamus

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
MECHANISM

Hypothalamus commences
various physiological
responses which would help
to increase body temperature
to normal levels.