Hypothalamic stimulation of growth hormone secretion.

Stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus in rats resulted in increased plasma growth hormone levels within 5 minutes, as measured by radioimmunoassay. Stimulation of the cerebral cortex was without effect. These observations confirm previous results involving destructive lesions and establish the ventromedial nucleus as a hypothalamic locus involved in the control of growth hormone secretion.