Small Group: Pituitary Disorders

Question 1

Prolactin inhibits the release of which hypothalamic hormone?

Answer 1

GnRH. Thus, prolactinomas can cause impotence and decreased hair growth.

Question 2

What are the two main gonadotropins?

Answer 2

Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone

Question 3

Spermatogenesis is stimulated by ______________.

Answer 3

LH and FSH

Question 4

Why does prolactinoma lead to infertility?

Answer 4

Because oversecretion of prolactin shuts down the hypothalamic secretion of all hypothalamic-pituitary hormones

Question 5

In suspected prolactinemia, you need to rule out ____________.

Answer 5

renal and liver disease, because defective clearance could also be the case

Question 6

Considering just vasopressin and prolactin, how will destruction of the hypothalamus present different from destruction of the pituitary?

Answer 6

Hypothalamic destruction results in high prolactin and low ADH, while pituitary destruction results in low prolactin and normal ADH (because ADH can be released from the stalk).

Question 7

In addition to inhibiting the release of GH, somatostatin also inhibits the release of _______________.

Answer 7

TSH