Pituitary Gland Disorders Flashcards
What hormones does the anterior pituitary produce?
→ ACTH → TSH → GH → LH/FSH → Prolactin
What hormones does the posterior pituitary produce?
→ oxytocin
→ ADH
What does oxytocin do?
→ uterine contractions
→ breast milk expression
What are the three layers of the endocrine system?
→ end organ is the primary layer
→ the secondary layer is the pituitary
→ third layer is the hypothalamus
What are the 2 functions of the hypothalamus?
→ it takes sensory input - electrical signal
→ and produces hormones to adapt to the physical state - chemical signal
In what blood vessel do the hormones get released into?
→ hypophyseal portal blood vessel
What is the negative feedback system in endocrinology?
→ The production of the end hormone stops the pituitary and hypothalamus producing more
What happens when you get pituitary tumors?
→ Hormone hypersecretion
→ Space occupying lesion- visual loss
→ Hormone deficiency states
What is excess growth hormone?
→ acromegaly
What is too much ACTH?
→ Cushings disease
What is excess TSH?
→ secondary thyrotoxicosis
What is excess LH and FSH?
→ Non functioning pituitary tumor
What is excess prolactin?
→ prolactinoma
Describe the growth hormone circulation
→ GF acts on the liver to produce IGF
→ IGF acts on bones to stimulate chondrocytes to grow which form new bone
→ it reduces body fat
What are symptoms of acromegaly?
→ hands grow
→ Macroglossia
→ Carpal tunnel
→ Change of appearance
Why do people with acromegaly get polyps or cancer?
→ skin and bowel tissue turns over a lot
What are the actions of cortisol?
→ increases plasma glucose levels → increases lipolysis → Proteins are catabolized → Na+ and H2O retention to maintain BP → increase glycogenolysis
What are visible changes in cushings?
→ change body shape → central obesity → moon face → thin skin → excess hair growth → irregular periods → High BP
How is prolactin controlled?
→ The stimulus to production of milk is an external signal
→ Intrinsic high production of prolactin from the pituitary
→ Tonic inhibitory dopamine signal from the hypothalamus to the pituitary