Pituitary Gland Physiology and Disease

Question 1

what hormones are produced by the anterior pituitary gland?

Answer 1

GH
TSH
LH/FSH
ACTH
prolactin

Question 2

which hormones are produced by basophils and acidophils in the anterior pituitary?

Answer 2

acidophils - GH and prolactin

basophils - TSH, ACTH and FSH/LH

Question 3

what hormones are secreted from the posterior pituitary, and what is their characteristic?

Answer 3

ADH and oxytocin

are secreted by hypothalamus and released at post pituitary through neuronal processes

Question 4

what is a tropic hormone?

Answer 4

a hormone which has an effect on another endocrine organ

Question 5

what is the difference in tissue type between anterior and posterior pituitary?

Answer 5

anterior - adenopituitary (glandular)

posterior - neuropituitary (neuronal)

Question 6

where are tropic hormones secreted?

Answer 6

in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary

Question 7

what is the capillary system called that connects the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary?

Answer 7

portal capillary system

Question 8

what is the most common cause of pituitary hyperfunction?

Answer 8

pituitary adenoma

Question 9

what normally is the cause of symptoms in pituitary adenoma?

Answer 9

increased hormone secretion

Question 10

list some symptoms which may appear as a result of hormone hypersecretion in pituitary adenoma

Answer 10

acromegaly
gigantism
cushing's disease
conn's syndrome
galactorrhea
gynaecomastia (men)
irregular periods
impotence

Question 11

what non-hormone related symptoms can be caused by a pituitary adenoma?

Answer 11

bitemporal hemianopia
headache
CSF rhinorrhoea (due to sella turcica erosion)

Question 12

how is hyperpituitarism normally treated (medically and surgically)?

Answer 12

medical: dopamine agonists (prolactinoma); GH antagonists/somatostatin agonists (acromegaly); radiotherapy after surgery
surgical: remove adenoma (transphenoidal)

Question 13

how is hyperpituitarism normally treated if the symptoms are prolactin-related? why is that?

Answer 13

dopamine agonists administered

dopamine acts as a prolactin inhibiting hormone

Question 14

what tests are done to diagnose acromegaly?

Answer 14

glucose test - to see if it suppresses GH
test level of Insulin-like Growth Factor- 1 (IGF-1)
MRI scan to look for adenoma

Question 15

what is the most common cause of pituitary hypofunction?

Answer 15

compression by craniopharyngioma

Question 16

how is posterior pituitary function tested, and what is it looking at?

Answer 16

water deprivation test

looks at ADH activity (or lack of it)

Question 17

how is cranial diabetes insipidus treated?

Answer 17

desmopressin administration

Question 18

what is cranial diabetes insipidus?

Answer 18

lack of ADH action, causing kidneys to lose water without reabsorbing it at collecting ducts

Question 19

how is pituitary hypofunction treated?

Answer 19

hormone replacement

Question 20

how can the symptoms of hypopituitarism be identified?

Answer 20

based on the lacking hormone

Question 21

what imaging test should be done for a suspected pituitary adenoma?

Answer 21

MRI scan

Question 22

which pituitary tumour is not treated surgically?

Answer 22

prolactinoma