Question

Oxytocin, a hormone released by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, is important for breastfeeding. When the infant suckles on the breast, this sensory input is relayed through the hypothalamus, causing oxytocin release. Oxytocin acts on its target organs, the mammary glands, to make milk available to the suckling infant. (This is called the "let-down reflex.") The stimulus for oxytocin release is a _______ stimulus, and oxytocin release will be terminated by ________.

Answer 1

Oxytocin release during breastfeeding is stimulated by the suckling of an infant and terminated when the let-down reflex is complete.

Step-by-step explanation:

Oxytocin release is stimulated by the suckling of an infant, which triggers the synthesis of oxytocin in the hypothalamus and its release into circulation at the posterior pituitary. The stimulus for oxytocin release is a sensory input, specifically the sensation of suckling on the breast.