Pituitary Gland Anatomy

Question 1

What are the main endocrine glands in the cranial cavity?

Answer 1

Hypothalamus

Pituitary Gland

Question 2

What are the main endocrine glands in the neck?

Answer 2

Thyroid Gland

Four parathyroid glands

Question 3

What are the main endocrine glands in the retroperitoneal abdomen?

Answer 3

Pancreas

Two adrenal glands

Question 4

What are the main endocrine glands in the female pelvis?

Answer 4

Two ovaries in ligaments

Question 5

What are the main endocrine glands in the perineum of males?

Answer 5

Two testes in the scrotum

Question 6

What is the dicephalon?

Answer 6

This forms the central core of the cerebrum with connections to the right and left cerebral hemispheres and midbrain

Question 7

What is found within the dicephalon?

Answer 7

Thalamus and Hypothalamus

Question 8

What connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland?

Answer 8

Infundibulum (pituitary stalk)

Question 9

What are the two lobes of the pituitary gland?

Answer 9

Anterior and posterior lobes

Question 10

What is the function of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

Answer 10

Responsible for synthesis and release of most pituitary hormones (GH, TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, PRL)

Question 11

What is the function of the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

Answer 11

Releases ADH and oxytocin (synthesised in the hypothalamus

Question 12

What is the location of the pituitary gland?

Answer 12

Pituitary gland is a midline structure in pituitary fossa of sphenoid bone

Pituitary fossa lies in sella turcica

Immediately inferior to the optic chiasma

Question 13

What forms the optic chiasma?

Answer 13

The optic chiasm is an X-shaped structure formed by the crossing of the optic nerves in the brain.

Question 14

What are the three parts of the anterior pituitary?

Answer 14

Pars distalis
Pars intermedia
Pars tuberalis

Question 15

What is the function of the pars distalis?

Answer 15

It is a part of the anterior pituitary. This is the largest part and is responsible for hormone secretion.

Question 16

What is the function of the pars intermedia?

Answer 16

This is a part of the pituitary gland. It is a thin epithelial layer that separates the pars anterior from the posterior lobe. It is usually very small or absent in adults. It produces MSH.

Question 17

What is the function of the pars tuberalis?

Answer 17

This is a part of the pituitary gland. An upwards extension of the anterior pituitary that surrounds the anterolateral aspect of the infundibulum. It is a scaffold for the capillary network of the hypophyseal portal system.

Question 18

What is the artery that supplies the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

Answer 18

Superior hypophyseal artery

Question 19

What arteries supply the posterior pituitary?

Answer 19

Superior hypophyseal artery
Inferior hypophyseal artery
Interfundibular artery

Question 20

What vein drains the pituitary gland?

Answer 20

Anterior and posterior hypophyseal veins

Question 21

What are the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 21

Airfilled spaces within the bones surrounding the nasal cavitities

Question 22

What are the ethmoid air cells?

Answer 22

Three groups of sinuses located between the nasal cavity and orbit

Question 23

What are the functions of the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 23

Secrete mucus
Reduce the weight of the skull
Add resonance to the voice

Question 24

Where is the dural matter?

Answer 24

Adherent to internal aspects of all bones of cranial vault

Question 25

What is the diaphragma sellae?

Answer 25

A tough sheet of dura mater forming a roof over the pituitary fossa

Question 26

What is the tentorium cerebelli?

Answer 26

tough sheet of dura mater “tenting” over cerebellum with central gap to permit brainstem to pass through)

Question 27

What are the dural venous sinuses?

Answer 27

Venous channels within dura mater that drain most of venous blood from cranial cavity (including brain) into internal jugular veins

Question 28

Where do the dural venous sinuses drain into?

Answer 28

internal jugular veins at jugular foraminae in floor of posterior cranial fossa

Question 29

What is the cavernous sinus?

Answer 29

One of the dural venous sinuses of the head.