Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body
-Joseph Addison
PNA Spotlight: Dr. Brian Williams
This month the PNA Spotlight focuses on Dr. Brian Williams, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville, where he leads the Division of Neurosurgical Oncology, Skull Base Surgery and Pituitary Surgery. Dr. Williams earned his medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He did a residency in neurological surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, followed by a fellowship in Neurosurgical Oncology at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. He also pursued specialty training in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery at the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand. He was kind enough to answer some questions from the PNA. His answers are below
Dr. Brian Williams
PNA Medical Corner: Otolaryngology Pioneers of Transsphenoidal Surgery
This month the PNA Medical Corner focuses on an article co-authored by Dr. Edward Laws, a longtime member of the PNA. The research looks at the considerable impact two early otolaryngologists, Markus Hajek and Oskar Hirsch, had in developing endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.
Dr. Edward Laws
Featured News and Updates
News Articles December 2025
Pituitary story: Long road to diagnosis
A retired Methodist minister from Raleigh, North Carolina named Lib Campbell tells her pituitary story in an article on DailyAdvance.com. She struggled for many years before being diagnosed with a lesion on her pituitary. Read more: https://www.dailyadvance.com/opinion/editorial_columnists/lib-campbell-everyone-is-deserving-of-affordable-health-care-insurance/article_d8ba7dd4-0d19-5eff-80d6-97fa1b598855.html
Pituitary case study: Early signs of acromegaly
Cureus.com features a case study on a 35-year-old man who went to the emergency room for dizzy spells. He also suffered from night sweats, his face was changing progressively, he snored and stopped breathing while resting. Tests showed a pituitary tumor; doctors diagnosed him with acromegaly. Read more:
Pituitary story: Soccer teammates come to the aid of 12-year-old pituitary patient
An article in the Connaught Tribune follows the story of a young girls’ soccer team in Ireland that is raising money toward medical care for two of the young teammates. A 12-year-old girl named Aoife is battling a pituitary tumor, and her friend, 13-year-old Emma has been diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Read more: https://connachttribune.ie/football-community-unites-behind-young-team-mates-both-battling-serious-illness/
Study examines role of age, gender, and stress in pituitary lobe volume
A study featured in Nature.com looks at the way the posterior and anterior lobes of the pituitary change over time and show differences according to gender and stress level. Results show that older adults had a smaller anterior lobe and a larger posterior lobe. They also showed less stress. Women generally have a larger anterior lobe than men. Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-26558-0
Research explores autism in children whose mothers suffer thyroid imbalance in pregnancy
An article in Science Daily looks at an Israeli study that found that mothers who experience thyroid hormone imbalance in pregnancy and go untreated have a higher risk of bearing children with autism. They recommend thyroid checks in pregnancy, as the risk decreases when the thyroid issue is treated. Read more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm
Research Articles
Research Articles December 2025
Mapping the evolution of pediatric craniopharyngioma research: a bibliometric analysis.
Frome S, Dastagirzada Y, Kurland D, Wisoff J.Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Nov 29;41(1):389. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-07050-6.
The interdisciplinary management of craniopharyngioma – practice patterns, outcomes, and insights.
Haselmann J, Roohani S, Wasilewski D, Onken J, Capper D, Kaul D, Ehret F.BMC Cancer. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1186/s12885-025-14991-3. Online ahead of print.
Pituitary Surgery
Training in endoscopic endonasal surgery: EANS young neurosurgeons committee survey.
Zoli M, Aldea C, Bauer M, Belo D, Drosos E, Jadoon S, Kaprovoy S, Lepic M, Lippa L, Mohme M, Motov S, Spiriev T, Stastna D, Stengel FC, Raffa G.Neurosurg Rev. 2025 Nov 28;49(1):31. doi: 10.1007/s10143-025-03962-8.
Joustra GE, van Rhee NF, den Heijer MC, Korsten-Meijer AGW, Feijen RA, Halmos GB, Kuijlen JMA, Vermeulen KM.Head Neck. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1002/hed.70103. Online ahead of print.’
Cushing’s Disease
Hypercoagulability in Cushing’s syndrome: past, present, future.
Akirov A, Fleseriu M.Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Nov 28;70(special 1):e250062. doi: 10.20945/2359-4292-2025-0095.Review.
Editor’s note: Dr Fleseriu is a longtime member of the PNA.
Lyu X, Liu J, Zhang D, Zhang X, Zhu H, Chen S, Lu L, Pan H.BMC Endocr Disord. 2025 Nov 27;25(1):275. doi: 10.1186/s12902-025-02092-y.
Hypophysitis
Primary hypophysitis: Classification review.
Turin CG, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK.J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2025 Nov 29:nlaf135. doi: 10.1093/jnen/nlaf135. Online ahead of print.41317043
Miquel L, Testud B, Albarel F, Appay R, Graillon T, Cuny T, Dufour H, Ebbo M, Brue T, Jarrot PA, Schleinitz N, Castinetti F.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41574-025-01200-1. Online ahead of print.
AI/ Machine Learning
Subba AB, Sunaniya AK, Mukherjee A.IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2025 Nov 27;PP. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2025.3638154. Online ahead of print.
Hormonal health
Differential role of anterior and posterior pituitary lobes in healthy aging and perceived stress.
Doucet GE, Davis M, Mertens AT, Picci G.Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42409. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26558-0.
Li G, Li M, Xie B, Chen J, Li S, Luo S, Mo C.World Neurosurg. 2025 Nov 28:124692. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2025.124692. Online ahead of print.
Large-scale comparison of two immunoassays for adrenocorticotropic hormone in human plasma.
Li Y, Louie JZ, Burgess TE, Bare LA, McPhaul MJ.Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 29. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26501-3. Online ahead of print.
Leibnitz S, Christ-Crain M, Atila C.Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Nov 28;70(special 1):e20250259. doi: 10.20945/2359-4292-2025-0259.Review.
Diagnostic/Research
EndoCompass Project: Research Roadmap for Reproductive and Developmental Endocrinology.
Cools M, Krausz C, Juul A, Macut D, Andersen MS, Andersson AM, Andoniadou CL, Ahmed SF, Bakker J, Bashamboo A, Behre HM, Bonomi M, Busch AS, De Roo C, Dessens A, Fakhar-I-Adil M, Fanelli F, Fisher AD, Flück C, Gambineri A, Giwercman A, Gravholt CH, Hannema S, Heindryckx B, Hiort O, Hornig NC, Howard S, Ibáñez L, Jensen MB, Jørgensen N, Livadas S, Lucas-Herald A, Mastorakos G, Meriggiola MC, Ong K, Palibrk MO, Pignatelli D, Pitteloud N, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Rey R, Robeva R, Pozza C, Schlatt S, Spaggiari G, Tack L, Tena-Sempere M, Tournaye H, T’Sjoen G, Van Mello N, Vena W, Yildiz BO, de Zegher F.Horm Res Paediatr. 2025 Nov 27:1-23. doi: 10.1159/000549203. Online ahead of print.
EndoCompass and Neuroendocrine Tumor Endocrinology.
Castano JP, Dattani MT, Grozinsky-Glasberg S, Karavitaki N, Pavel ME, Andoniadou C, Alexandraki K, Capatina C, Cerbone M, Ferone D, Gan HW, Hofland J, Hofland L, Ibanez-Costa A, Ilie MD, Isidori AM, Korbonits M, Kos-Kudła B, Maghnie M, Mantovani G, Marazuela M, Raverot G, Scarpa A, Schilbach K, Theodoropoulou M, van Santen HM, Zatelli MC.Horm Res Paediatr. 2025 Nov 27:1-16. doi: 10.1159/000549145. Online ahead of print.
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