Pituitary Disorders

Abstract Hypopituitarism usually results from a deficiency of anterior pituitary hormones or, rarely, from tissue resistance to these hormones. Primary pituitary disease results from the loss of anterior pituitary cells and may be congenital or acquired. Hypothalamic hypopituitarism results from hypothalamic or pituitary stalk disease associated with the loss of hypophysiotropic regulatory hormones of the anterior pituitary cells. Functional hypothalamic disorders are common. Extrasellar disorders impinge on and impair the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit.