Pituitary Disorders

Summary

Your pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland at the base of your brain. The pituitary is the "master control gland" – it makes hormones that affect growth and the functions of other glands in the body.

With pituitary disorders, you often have too much or too little of one of your hormones. Injuries can cause pituitary disorders, but the most common cause is a pituitary tumor.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Specifics

• Acromegaly National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Empty Sella Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Galactorrhea American Academy of Family Physicians
• Hyperprolactinemia Endocrine Society
• Hypopituitarism Endocrine Society
• Septo-Optic Dysplasia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Patient Handouts

• ACTH blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• ACTH stimulation test Medical Encyclopedia
• Empty sella syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Gigantism Medical Encyclopedia
• Growth hormone stimulation test Medical Encyclopedia
• Hypopituitarism Medical Encyclopedia
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Pituitary infarction Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) National Library of Medicine
• Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels Test National Library of Medicine
• Growth Hormone Tests National Library of Medicine
• Head MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Radiological Society of North America
• IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) Test National Library of Medicine
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Levels Test National Library of Medicine

Encyclopedia

• Antidiuretic hormone blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Cortisol level Medical Encyclopedia
• Free T4 test Medical Encyclopedia
• Growth hormone suppression test Medical Encyclopedia
• Growth hormone test Medical Encyclopedia
• Head MRI Medical Encyclopedia
• Pituitary gland Medical Encyclopedia
• Prolactin blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• Sheehan syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• TBG blood test Medical Encyclopedia

Start Here

• Brain Hormones Endocrine Society

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Acromegaly National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pituitary Diseases National Institutes of Health

Genetics

• Combined pituitary hormone deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Reference Desk

• Endocrine System (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Teenagers

• Endocrine System (For Teens) Nemours Foundation

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Find an Endocrinologist Endocrine Society
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Journal Articles

• Pituitary Disorders

Children

• Your Endocrine System (For Kids) Nemours Foundation