Choose the ODD one out of the following terms given and name the CATEGORY to which the others belong:
ACTH, TSH, ADH, FSH
Topic: Anterior pituitary hormones
Answer
Odd term: ADH. Category of the others: HORMONES OF THE ANTERIOR LOBE OF THE PITUITARY GLAND.
All four are pituitary hormones, so the division must be finer than "pituitary" — it is WHICH LOBE.
ANTERIOR lobe: ACTH, TSH, FSH (also LH, growth hormone and prolactin) POSTERIOR lobe: ADH (vasopressin) and OXYTOCIN — only these two
THE SHORTCUT: the posterior pituitary releases just TWO hormones. Learn that pair, and anything else named as a pituitary hormone must be anterior. It is far easier than memorising the longer anterior list.
Note also that the three anterior ones here are all TROPIC hormones — their targets are other endocrine glands (adrenal cortex, thyroid, gonads) — which is why the pituitary is called the MASTER GLAND. ADH acts directly on the kidney tubules instead.