This is a complex and not completely understood area of pituitary medicine. Of course it is very logical and reasonable for anyone who has physical limitations, pain, discomfort to feel sad about a loss or change in their body functioning. Depression, which is...
There may be permanent loss of some or all pituitary hormones, an imbalance that can be treated with Hormone Replacement Therapy, which has been inaccurately associated with only one group of patients: post-menopausal women. HRT can replace thyroid, growth,...
A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth of pituitary cells. Pituitary tumors can either be nonfunctional (that is they do not secrete hormones) or produce specific hormones, such as prolactin (causing infertility, decreased libido, and osteoporosis), growth hormone...
Tumors (overwhelmingly benign), inflammation, infections and injury can cause the gland to malfunction, as well as metastasis or spread of other tumors to the pituitary (rare). Radiation therapy to the brain can also cause normal pituitary cells to malfunction.
An imbalance occurs, leading to more than a dozen disorders of the endocrine system. Deficiency of thyroid hormone, adrenal cortical hormone (cortisol) or antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) is rapidly life-threatening. In patients with abnormalities of the other...