Question

There are substantially more hormones that undergo a negative feedback loop than a positive feedback loop. Which of the following hormones is regulated by a positive feedback loop?

a) Insulin
b) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
c) Cortisol
d) Oxytocin

Answer 1

Among the options given, oxytocin is the hormone regulated by a positive feedback loop, where its release during childbirth causes stronger contractions, leading to increased oxytocin release until delivery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks us to identify which hormone among the given options is regulated by a positive feedback loop. Unlike the more common negative feedback loop, where the production and release of hormones are dampened by their own effects, a positive feedback loop results in increasing levels of hormone release. Oxytocin, which is released in response to uterine contractions during labor, is an example of a hormone regulated by positive feedback. As contractions increase, more oxytocin is released, which then causes stronger contractions, resulting in a cycle that continues until the birth of the infant. Therefore, the hormone regulated by a positive feedback loop among the options given is d) Oxytocin.