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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Apr 2.
Published in final edited form as: N Engl J Med. 2015 Apr 2;372(14):1349–1358. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1404726

Figure 1. Feedback Loop Governing Regulation of PlasmaOsmolality through Control of Arginine VasopressinSecretion and Thirst.

Figure 1.

An increase in plasma osmolality activates hypothalamicosmoreceptors to stimulate vasopressin secretionby the posterior pituitary gland. The resulting increasein the level of plasma vasopressin leads to anincrease in renal water reabsorption and a decrease inwater excretion. Increased water reabsorption reducesplasma osmolality. Osmosensing in the hypothalamusalso stimulates thirst and drinking to help restore plasmaosmolality. AVP denotes arginine vasopressin, PVNparaventricular nucleus, and SON supraoptic nucleus.