Question

A baby suckling at the breast is one example of positive feedback in the body. When a mother breastfeeds her baby, the suckling is the initial ____________ detected by sensory ____________ in the skin of the nipple region. These transmit this input to the ____________ , which is the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus signals for the release of the hormone oxytocin. This homone is the "output" that is sent to the ____________ , the glandular tissue of the breast. The baby feeds and this cycle ____________ .
a. stimulus,
b. receptors,
c. control center,
d. effector,
e. repeats as long as needed

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Stimulus

2. Receptors

3. Control center

4. Effector

5. Repeats as long as needed

Explanation:

Lactation during breastfeeding is regulated by positive feedback. As the baby starts sucking, the stimulus (suckling) is sensed by the receptors present in the skin of mammary glands. These signals are carried to the control center, the hypothalamus. Signals are sent to the posterior pituitary to release oxytocin hormone in the blood. The hormone reaches its target organ, mammary glands and stimulates the ejection of milk. Therefore, milk ejection is stimulated by hormone oxytocin in response to suckling.  

Since the stimulus, suckling serves to intensify the milk ejection, the regulation is positive feedback. Here, change in a condition triggers a response to intensify the change, not to counteract it.