Hyperpituitarism

Excerpt

The pituitary gland produces and secretes various hormones that play a vital role in regulating endocrine function within the body. The pituitary gland consists of 2 lobes: an anterior and a posterior lobe. Hormones produced by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland include growth hormone (GH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and prolactin. Hormones stored and released from the posterior pituitary are antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as vasopressin, and oxytocin. ADH and oxytocin are produced by neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus. Trophic hormones produced by the hypothalamus stimulate the production of different anterior pituitary hormones, which in turn stimulate the production of hormones at the level of the target organ. Negative feedback by hormones produced by the target organ and tissue inhibits further production of the related pituitary hormones. Readers are directed to the Statpearls article on hypopituitarism for further details regarding pituitary hormone regulation.

Hyperpituitarism is defined as an excessive secretion or production of one or more of the hormones produced by the pituitary gland. In this article, we present an overview of the diagnosis and management of secretory tumors of the pituitary gland.