What is the pituitary, what is it for? The symptoms to understand if it doesn’t work well – breaking latest news

There are several negative effects that can be had on the whole organism if the
pituitary gland
it doesn’t work properly. This little gland, located under the brainin direct contact, anatomical and functional, with a part of the central nervous system called the hypothalamus, considered the director of the endocrine system. In fact, the pituitary integrates the signals that reach the nervous system (from thirst to hunger up to stress) and, through the production of some hormones, sends messages to peripheral glands, such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries.

What diseases can affect the pituitary gland?

The function of the pituitary gland can be altered by various pathological conditions which fall into two main categories: le hyperfunction diseasesin which there is excessive production of one or more pituitary hormones, and those from hypofunctioninstead characterized by the deficient production of pituitary hormones, the professor stated Andrew Justinadirector of the Endocrinology Unit of the Irccs San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.

What are hyperfunction diseases?

The main hyperfunction diseases are represented by pituitary adenomasTumors, generally benign, which originate within the pituitary gland and, through their activity, can cause important alterations within the body. Endocrine problems related to an excess of pituitary function (secretory adenomas) can give different syndromes. For example, prolactin-secreting adenomas, a very important hormone for breastfeeding, can affect the function of ovariesso the woman, in addition to having milky liquid leaks from the nipple, can stop having periods and become infertile. This triad is very characteristic of excessive prolactin production, which usually leads to early diagnosis. In males, however, prolactin-secreting adenomas can lead to erectile dysfunction and an increase in breast volume, symptoms which, however, tend to be underestimated because they are attributed to other causes. For example, erection problems can be considered a consequence of stress and the increase in the volume of the breasts of weight gain. The consequence that dFrequently, men arrive late at diagnosis with often large adenomas. Among the adenomas that give characteristic syndromes there are also those secreting growth hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone. The presence of a large adenoma can also have other consequences. When it exceeds the size of the pituitary gland (about one centimeter), the adenoma protrudes from the depression of the skull that contains this gland, compressing the surrounding structures, for example the optic nerve. There lateral vision loss a very specific symptom of optic nerve compression by an adenoma. The expansion of the adenoma can also give headache due to the tension of the meninges covering the pituitary gland, a very generic symptom.

What are hypofunction diseases?

Reduced pituitary function can lead to deficiency of one or more hormones pituitary. In these cases we speak of hypopituitarism which can have various causes. Often due to surgery on the pituitary gland, therapy of choice for many adenomas: if the surgeon also removes the normal pituitary tissue along with the adenoma, the gland loses function. Hypopituitarism can also be caused by hypophysitis, autoimmune inflammation, which is seen more often today than in the past, thanks to the use of oncological drugs which can favor its development. Furthermore, there are forms that are not connected to the loss of function of the pituitary gland but to its disconnection from the hypothalamus, for example due to a brain trauma. The typical symptoms of the loss of function of the peripheral glands “governed” by the pituitary are very varied and include cessation of the menstrual cyclethe hair loss, decreased erectile function in males, hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalismo.

How can pituitary diseases be diagnosed?

The diagnosis can be complex, so it is always good to refer to structures with experience in the presence of suspicious symptoms. The first step is to measure the levels of the pituitary hormones even if the baseline values ​​are often not conclusive and it is necessary to resort to the so-called “dynamic tests”. The most commonly used instrumental examination is magnetic resonance.