Pituitary Physiology

Question 1

what does excess gonadal hormones act on?

Answer 1

the hypothalamus

Question 2

what does excess cortisol act on?

Answer 2

the pituitary

Question 3

what three things can cause endocrine presentations?

Answer 3

too much hormone
too little hormone
gland is too large

Question 4

what are the pituitary and peripheral steroid hormones?

Answer 4

ACTH

cortisol

Question 5

what are the pituitary and peripheral thyroid hormonens?

Answer 5

TSH

thyroxine

Question 6

what are the pituitary and peripheral sex hormones?

Answer 6

LH/FSH

testosterone/oestradiol

Question 7

what are the pituitary and peripheral growth hormones?

Answer 7

GH

IGF-1

Question 8

what are the pituitary and peripheral prolactin hormones?

Answer 8

prolactin only

Question 9

what can a pituitary adenoma growing upwards cause?

Answer 9

compression of the optic chiasma

Question 10

what can a pituitary adenoma growing laterally grow into?

Answer 10

the cavernous sinus

Question 11

what stimulation test is done to test cortisol levels?

Answer 11

synacthen test

Question 12

what is a normal response for a synacthen test?

Answer 12

cortisol rises by 150 and reaches 500

Question 13

how is GH deficiency investigated?

Answer 13

insulin stress test/prolonged glucagon test

Question 14

what is involved in the insulin stress test?

Answer 14

glucose given

cortisol and GH response measured every 30 mins for 2-3 hours