FIGURE 12-15 Hypothalamic Controls (A) Releasing hormones from the hypothalamus stimulate the anterior pituitary to release hormones. The pituitary hormones stimulate target organs, such as the thyroid and adrenal glands, to release their hormones. In the feedback loop, those hormones in turn influence the hypothalamus to decrease its secretion of the releasing hormones. (B) In the milk letdown response, oxytocin released from the hypothalamus stimulates the mammary glands to release milk. Milk letdown is enhanced by infant-related stimuli and inhibited by maternal anxiety.