Know More About Pituitary Gland Dysfunction!

The pituitary gland tumor is a common pituitary disorder that may affect the adults. It is mostly benign, however, the problems caused by pituitary tumors include hypersecretion, which refers to too much of hormones in the body; hyposecretion, which refers to too less hormones in the body; and, tumor mass effect, which refers to the growth of tumor and its effects in the form of headaches, vision issues, and other health-related complications.

The pituitary gland is not only responsible for the production of hormones that travel throughout the body but is also responsible for stimulating other glands for the production of other hormones. Additionally, this master gland is also the one that directs certain processes within the body.

The pituitary gland comprises two parts, the anterior or the front lobe and posterior or the back lobe. Both the lobes are connected by a stalk to the hypothalamus. It is the hypothalamus that controls the anterior lobe through the blood vessels in the stalk and the posterior lobe through nerve impulses.

For the diagnosis of pituitary gland malfunction, doctors may use imaging tests such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, which helps in assessing whether the pituitary gland has grown or reduced in size.