Tutorial 1 - Adenohypophysial Disorders

Question 1

What tool can be used to see whether someone is growing at the correct rate for their age?

Answer 1

A standard growth chart

Question 2

What are the causes of short stature?

Answer 2

• Genetics (parents are short)
• Dwarfism
• Malnutrition
• Sleep deprivation
• Rickets - lack of vitamin D
• Benign tumour in pituitary - lack of growth hormone
• Autoimmune - Hypophysitis (inflammation of the pituitary gland)

Question 3

What are 2 types of dwarfism?

Answer 3

Achondroplasia (shortened limbs, normal torso),

Laron dwarfism (autosomal recessive, mutant growth hormone receptor)

Question 4

How would you test to see if someone produces growth hormone?

Answer 4

1. Physical stress (exercise) causes GH release which can be measured.
   Problem with this - if not enough exercise is done then no GH is made - false negatives.
2. Hypoglycaemia induced by insulin - Make them hypoglycaemic (low blood glucose) by giving them insulin, can be dangerous. This causes stress and GH to be released.