What causes and what is dangerous about dysfunction of the pituitary gland? Pituitary gland diseases: their causes, symptoms and treatment

Diseases that are last years are diagnosed somewhat more often than before. Every person needs to imagine such problems in general terms so that at the first symptoms they can consult a doctor for a detailed diagnosis. It is necessary to understand that diseases associated with disruption of the pituitary gland are dangerous - this not only reduces the quality of life, but also high probability various complications.

What is it about?

The pituitary gland is indispensable for the endocrine system. This term refers to a small gland located in the brain, in its lower half. The gland is located near the saddle-shaped cranial bones and produces hormones that enable normal life activities, regulating human growth, metabolism and reproductive ability.

If hormonal background is violated, then it is likely that this condition was provoked by diseases of the pituitary gland. They affect women and men equally; people are susceptible to them of different ages, social status, leading different lifestyles.

Where does trouble come from?

Typically, a symptom of pituitary gland disease is an abnormal level of hormones produced by this gland in a person’s blood. Both an excess and too little concentration are possible. In any of the options, the entire endocrine system suffers greatly.

Typically, insufficient production of hormonal compounds is caused by improper blood supply or brain injury. In some cases, diseases associated with the pituitary gland are observed against the background of hemorrhage, inflammation, problems in vascular system. This may also be a consequence of radiation.

Diseases of the pituitary gland, in which the level of activity of the gland is too high, are often associated with benign neoplasm. This pathology in medicine is called adenoma. The disease is quite widespread, and its development can be triggered by injury or infection of the brain. In some cases, an adenoma (pituitary gland disease) develops against the background long-term use oral contraceptives.

How to suspect a problem

Diseases of the pituitary gland manifest themselves with a number of symptoms characteristic only of them. In addition, there are manifestations characteristic of some other diseases, which can make diagnosis more difficult.

So, if the pathology developed before birth, then it is quite easy to notice - you can see a disproportionate build, unhealthy appearance. If hormonal activity is insufficient, growth will slow down, and such a person will be below average for life. But excessive activity of the gland leads to gigantism - growth does not stop throughout life.

With pituitary disease, some patients grow truly enormous in stature, which is accompanied by acromegaly - the limbs become enlarged, the voice becomes rougher, posture deteriorates, internal systems and organs are deformed.

If a disease of the pituitary gland is characterized by an incorrect, too weak process of production of growth hormone, this leads to malfunctions genitourinary system. When analyzing blood for biochemistry, a deficiency of sodium, glucose, and somatotropin can be detected. There is also an unnatural response to insulin.

What else happens?

If a hormone deficiency develops during secondary form, patients are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. In some cases, the pituitary gland is affected Graves' disease. Pituitary dwarfism is quite rare, but still occurs - this pathology more often affects the male half of humanity than the female half. What's good is that modern medicine knows quite a lot effective techniques eliminating pathology.

Hypothyroidism

If the thyroid gland does not produce the amount of hormones necessary for normal functioning of the body, this causes hypothyroidism. This is usually observed when there is insufficient functioning of this organ or when there is a pathological effect on the processes that control hormonal levels.

Primary (thyroidogenic) hypothyroidism is usually caused by a lack of iodine in the body. In some cases, it is caused by mechanical injuries of the thyroid gland, provoked radiation therapy, surgical intervention and so on.

Secondary hypothyroidism is a disease in which the body does not have enough hormones produced by the thyroid gland. With this disorder, the hypothalamus cannot generate thyroid hormone-releasing hormone, which affects the functioning of the pituitary gland - the processes of creating thyroid-stimulating hormone stop.

Central hypothyroidism

Tertiary hypothyroidism in modern medicine often also called central. This form is narrowly distributed and is characterized by its inability thyroid gland cope with the functions assigned to it. In some cases, this is triggered by features of the pituitary gland, but sometimes the hypothalamus plays a role.

Features of the pathology

It is quite difficult to suspect hypothyroidism at the very beginning of the development of the disease, since its course is hidden and has no obvious symptoms. Most often, pathology is detected through a blood test to identify hormonal characteristics. At congenital form the child experiences bloating in the abdomen, umbilical hernia, disproportionality of the tongue, thyroid gland. Over time, the baby loses appetite and is impaired normal development, the weight goes beyond the norm, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted - constipation appears.

If you start treating the disease on time, you can restore the functionality of all body systems to full extent. The child’s growth process will also return to normal.

In an advanced form in an adult, the pathology can be suspected by the patient’s appearance - the skin on the face is yellowish, the face swells, since fluid is not excreted from the body normally. A person feels weak, his hair and eyebrows are actively falling out, his skin is dry, and his muscles are sore.

Usually it's pretty who says in a hoarse voice and is quite hard of hearing. Further development illness is associated with dysfunction nervous system, which negatively affects memory, ability to concentrate, and intelligence. There are problems with sleep, the patient is depressed. Hemoglobin in the blood drops and cholesterol rises.

Hyperprolactinemia

Prolactin is a hormone that is normally actively involved in the formation of the required amount breast milk nursing mother. Hyperprolactinemia can develop in one of three forms. The natural option is physiological form due to childbirth and growth. Pathological is usually provoked by an adenoma or other internal violations. With long-term use of certain groups of medications, pharmacological form diseases.

Clinical symptoms can manifest in patients of different ages and genders. In this case, women note:

• secretion of breast milk;
• violation menstrual cycle;
• inability to get pregnant;
• decreased sexual desire;
• painful sensations during sexual intercourse.

Men often develop impotence and may experience loss of vision. In patients at a young age reproductive system develops with a delay. Hyperprolactinemia provokes metabolic problems and acne. Patients feel constant weakness, sleep is disturbed. The disease is often caused by diabetes mellitus.

Adenoma

There are two types of pituitary adenoma - active and hormonally inactive. Usually the pathology develops rather slowly, the neoplasm is benign. Depending on the size, they speak of microscopic or macroadenoma.

At an early stage of development, the adenoma practically does not manifest itself, which significantly complicates diagnosis. Over time, the tumor provokes endocrine metabolic syndrome. At the same time, the thyroid gland grows in size and appears excess weight, warts. Most patients note that their skin becomes oily. Many people are diagnosed with diabetes. Often the adenoma also has symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperprolactinemia.

How else to notice an adenoma

The development of adenoma is associated with ophthalmological and neurological syndrome. In this case, the patient’s visual field undergoes distortions, and he suffers from headaches. As a rule, vision decreases significantly, and disturbances in eye movements are observed. Doctors explain this by saying that the neoplasm compresses the sella turcica and cranial nerves.

Often, with pituitary adenoma, patients become depressed and suffer from nervous disorders. Prolonged growth of the tumor provokes mental disorders.

How to determine the disease

If you experience symptoms characteristic of an adenoma, or there is even the slightest suspicion of this disease, you must make an appointment with your local physician, who will refer you to an endocrinologist. When using the services private clinic You can immediately go to an endocrinologist for a detailed diagnosis of the body’s condition.

The doctor will select the most applicable instrumental analysis methods, monitor the content of hormones in urine and blood, and perform a biochemistry test. If there is an assumption that the cause is nodular hypothyroidism, additional ultrasound diagnostics are performed.

To determine the type of tumor, it is necessary to undergo a computed tomography or MRI. This also allows you to accurately identify the size of the tumor, understand how damaged the sella turcica is and what the nature of the damage is. An ophthalmological examination also evaluates the condition of the cranial nerves.

What to do?

Treatment of pituitary diseases is determined by the characteristics of a specific diagnosis. First, you need to select medications that will return your hormonal levels to normal. The patient is also prescribed medications that stimulate the production necessary hormones internal systems of the body. Additionally, they carry out general strengthening measures and choose a diet that is optimal for the pathology.

If an adenoma is identified, radiation therapy can give a good result, eliminating the tumor. With macroadenoma it is possible surgical removal tumors.

The lack of hormones in the blood must be replenished external sources, accompanied by mineral components and vitamin therapy. When treating young patients, hormones are administered in minimal doses. With a well-chosen program, the child’s well-being soon returns to normal, and the children’s growth returns to normal.

Diseases of the pituitary gland can cause disruptions in the functioning of the entire body. This happens because it is here that biologically active substances known as hormones are produced, with the help of which the hypothalamus, one of the parts of the brain, controls the processes occurring in the body.

The main task of hormones is to regulate the activity of all internal organs and systems of a person: they actively participate in metabolism, growth and development of the body, influence the formation of the skeleton, and deliver nutrients to cells. The work of the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive systems, reproductive function of the body.

The lack of pituitary hormones also negatively affects the glands controlled by it: in the absence of appropriate stimulation, they reduce the production biologically active substances and in many cases atrophy. A lack of pituitary hormones can also negatively affect reproductive function, cause atrophy of the thyroid gland, gonads and adrenal cortex, syndrome chronic fatigue, increased urination, extreme exhaustion of the body.

Poor functioning of the pituitary gland also affects the activity of hormones produced by the hypothalamus. For example, with a lack of vasopressin, which regulates the excretion of water by the kidneys, diabetes insipidus develops, a symptom of which is excessive urination.

The most dangerous disease is hypopituitarism, when there is a lack of all pituitary hormones, which not only impairs the functioning of all endocrine glands and organs that are under the control of the pituitary gland, but also leads to severe disorders of all metabolisms. The disease may be caused by the destruction of cells of the pituitary gland itself, or the development of the disease may be influenced by malfunctions of the hypothalamus or central nervous system.

If hypopituitarism has congenital pathology, the child’s growth slows down, eunuchoid body proportions are observed. Among the symptoms that characterize the development of the disease, in adults there is a gradual decrease in sexual desire, erasing: the amount of hair in the armpits and on the pubis decreases, the mustache and beard begin to grow more slowly, muscle is replaced by fat.

In men, testicles become smaller and prostate, in women, the mammary glands atrophy, the tissues of the genital organs become thinner. Among the first symptoms of the disease that are worth paying attention to is a deterioration in the sense of smell.

Because they can be influenced different reasons, and the course of the disease depends on which hormones are not produced in the required quantities, treatment is prescribed only after a thorough examination.

Usually this hormone therapy, aimed at compensating for hormone deficiency, sometimes surgery may be required. If the patient pays attention to suspicious symptoms in time, the disease will be detected in time and treatment will begin. timely treatment, patients can easily lead a normal life.

Hormones that affect the functioning of all organs and systems enter the blood from special endocrine glands, which are united into a single endocrine system. These are the adrenal glands, thyroid and parathyroid glands, ovaries (in women), testes and testes - (in men), pancreas, hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Perhaps there is no more hierarchical and disciplined system in the body than the endocrine one.

The principle of action of the pituitary gland

Stands at the pinnacle of power pituitary- a small gland, rarely larger than the size of a child’s little fingernail. The pituitary gland is located in the brain (at its very center) and tightly controls the work of most endocrine glands, secreting special hormones that control the production of other hormones. For example, the pituitary gland releases thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood, which causes thyroid gland create thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Some pituitary hormones have a direct effect, for example, somatotropic hormone (GH), which is responsible for growth processes and physical development child.

A deficiency or excess of pituitary hormones inevitably leads to serious illnesses.

Lack of pituitary hormones

Lack of pituitary hormones leads to:

• To a secondary deficiency of hormones of other endocrine glands, for example to secondary hypothyroidism - a deficiency of thyroid hormones.
• In addition, a lack of pituitary hormones themselves causes severe physical impairment. Thus, deficiency of somatotropic hormone (GH) in childhood leads to dwarfism.
• Diabetes insipidus- in case of deficiency antidiuretic hormone(ADH is produced in the hypothalamus, then enters the pituitary gland, from where it is released into the blood)
• * Hypopituitarism** - a deficiency of all pituitary hormones - can manifest itself in children as delayed sexual development, and in adults - as sexual disorders. In general, hypopituitarism leads to severe metabolic disorders that affect all body systems.

Excess pituitary hormones

Excess of pituitary hormones gives bright clinical picture, and the manifestations of the disease differ greatly depending on which or which hormones exceed the norm.

With an excess of pituitary hormones:

• High levels of prolactin (*hyperprolactinemia**) in women are manifested by menstrual irregularities, infertility, and lactation (swelling of the mammary glands and milk secretion). In men, hyperprolactinemia leads to decreased libido and impotence.
• An excess of somatotropic hormone (GH) has given the world giants. If the disease begins in early age, then it arises gigantism, if in mature - acromegaly. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the most tall man was Robert Pershing Wadlow, born in 1918 in the USA. His height was 272 centimeters (arm span 288 centimeters). However, according to the domestic book of records Divo, the tallest in world history was Russian citizen Fedor Makhov. His height was 2 meters 85 centimeters and his weight was 182 kilograms. With acromegaly, the patient's hands and feet thicken, facial features become large and enlarged. internal organs. This is accompanied by cardiac dysfunction and neurological disorders.
• Increased levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) lead to Cushing's disease. This serious disease manifested by osteoporosis, increased blood pressure, development of diabetes mellitus, mental disorders. The disease is accompanied characteristic changes appearance: weight loss in legs and arms, obesity in the abdomen, shoulders, and face.

Causes

To understand the causes of pituitary gland diseases, it is necessary to remember that it is part of the brain. The optic nerves pass over it, and on the sides there are large cerebral vessels and oculomotor nerves.

Reason excess pituitary hormones in most cases it is a tumor of the pituitary gland itself - an adenoma. At the same time, the level of the hormone or hormones that the adenoma cells produce increases, while the level of all other hormones can significantly decrease due to compression of the remaining part of the pituitary gland. A growing adenoma is also dangerous because it compresses nearby optic nerves, blood vessels and brain structures. Almost all patients with adenoma have headaches, and visual disturbances are common.

Reasons pituitary hormone deficiency can be:

• blood supply defects,
• hemorrhage,
• congenital hypoplasia of the pituitary gland,
• meningitis or encephalitis,
• compression of the pituitary gland by a tumor,
• traumatic brain injury,
• some medications
• irradiation,
• surgical intervention.

Diagnosis of pituitary diseases

An endocrinologist diagnoses and treats diseases of the pituitary gland. At the first visit, the doctor will collect anamnesis (complaints, information about previous diseases And hereditary predisposition) and based on this will assign necessary research hormonal profile(blood test for hormones), test with thyrotropin-releasing hormone, test with synacthen, etc. If necessary, it can be prescribed CT scan brain, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, etc.

Treatment of pituitary diseases

Treatment of pituitary gland diseases is aimed at normalizing the level of hormones in the blood, and in the case of adenoma, reducing the pressure of the tumor on the surrounding brain structures. If there is a lack of pituitary hormones, hormone replacement therapy is used: the person is given drugs that are analogues of the necessary hormones. This treatment often lasts for life. Fortunately, pituitary tumors are extremely rarely malignant. However, their treatment is a difficult task for the doctor.

Used in the treatment of pituitary tumors following methods and their combination:

• drug therapy;
• surgical treatment - tumor removal;
• radiation therapy methods.

The most common diseases of the pituitary gland include hyperfunction and hypofunction, pituitary dwarfism and prolactinoma.

Less commonly diagnosed are diseases of the pituitary gland, such as Sheehan and Simmonds syndrome.

Also, if there is a failure in the production of pituitary hormones, gigantism, acromegaly, Itsenko-Cushing's disease, pubertal hypothalamic syndrome and other diseases can develop.

Hyperfunction and hypofunction of the pituitary gland

With hyperfunction of the pituitary gland, benign tumor- an adenoma that produces too many hormones. IN normal conditions negative mechanism works feedback - high level Hormones in the blood inhibit the production of releasing hormones in the hypothalamus through the nervous system, which inhibit the production of hormones in the pituitary gland, and the production of hormones in the peripheral glands decreases.

With hyperfunction, hormone-producing cells become autonomous, they no longer obey the signals of the pituitary gland and continue to produce hormones, despite the fact that they no longer act to benefit, but to harm the body.

Hypofunction of the pituitary gland is a decrease in the production of hormones or its complete cessation. This usually occurs when the pituitary gland is destroyed due to brain injury, bleeding of the pituitary gland, or as a result of genetic disorders.

Pituitary prolactinoma: symptoms and treatment

If pituitary prolactinoma affects the cells that produce prolactin, women who are not breastfeeding may experience breast discharge. This is not always full-fledged milk, often just clear liquid. Increased performance prolactin in the blood also leads to menstrual irregularities and amenorrhea (similar to physiological amenorrhea in breastfeeding women); in this condition, a woman cannot conceive.

It is registered that hyperprolactinemia is found in every 3rd woman suffering from infertility.

Men develop infertility. Also a symptom of a pituitary tumor in the stronger sex is a decrease in sexual desire and weakening potency.

When treating pituitary prolactinoma, drugs are prescribed that block the production of prolactin. If treatment is unsuccessful, the pituitary tumor is removed surgically.

Pituitary diseases gigantism and acromegaly

With adenoma of cells producing somatotropic hormone in children, growth does not stop and so-called gigantism develops. It usually occurs at 9-10 years of age or during puberty. By the age of 15-16 years, female patients reach more than 1.9 meters and male patients - 2 meters while maintaining a relatively proportional physique. In addition to being tall, they may be bothered by headache, weakness, numbness in the arms and pain in the joints, dry mouth and thirst are the result of the counter-insulin action of growth hormone; almost all women have irregular menstrual cycles; 30% of men develop sexual weakness.

If a disease caused by pituitary hormones develops when growth is already complete, the patient’s individual parts of the body enlarge: nose, feet, palms. With acromegaly, the proportions of the face are distorted and it becomes ugly.

Treatment. Radiation therapy, surgery, medication.

Disease of the pituitary gland function: Itsenko-Cushing's disease

Cushing's disease is named after two doctors who described it independently of each other. In 1924, Soviet neurologist Nikolai Mikhailovich Itsenko described a clinic that frolicked in two patients with lesions of the interstitial pituitary region. In 1932, American surgeon Harvey Cushing described clinical syndrome, which he called “pituitary basophilism.” The cause is a benign pituitary tumor that produces large amounts of ACTH, which leads to overproduction of adrenal hormones.

Symptoms:

1. Weight increases: fat is deposited on the shoulders, abdomen, face, mammary glands and back. Despite the corpulence of the body, the patients' arms and legs are thin. The face becomes moon-shaped, round, and the cheeks are red.
2. Pink-purple or purple stripes (striae) appear on the skin.
3. Observed overgrowth body hair (women grow mustaches and beards).
4. In women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted and infertility is observed, in men it decreases sexual attraction and potency.
5. Another symptom of this pituitary disease is muscle weakness.
6. Bone fragility increases (osteoporosis), up to pathological fractures of the spine and ribs.
7. Increasing.
8. Insulin sensitivity is impaired and develops.
9. Decreasing. Manifested by education trophic ulcers, pustular skin lesions, chronic pyelonephritis, and so on.

Treatment. Radiation therapy of the pituitary gland area, medicinal.

Pituitary gland disease pubertal hypothalamic syndrome

Similar changes, but less pronounced, sometimes develop in adolescence and are called puberty hypothalamic syndrome or pubertal-adolescent dispituitarism. It often develops against the background of an already existing constitutional one. Other risk factors include diseases, including neuroinfections, physical and mental trauma, a sharp decrease in the usual physical activity, for example, cessation of systematic sports, chronic and recurring.

Fortunately, we are not talking about a tumor of the pituitary gland, but only about overstimulation of the hypothalamus, which secretes large doses CRH stimulates the release of ACTH, which increases the production of adrenal hormones. Since feedback mechanisms (a decrease in hormone production in response to an increase in their level in the blood) are not destroyed in this case, the changes are not as severe and pronounced as in the disease and Cushing's syndrome.

Treatment. Diet therapy for. If necessary, prescribe diuretics that lower blood pressure and sex hormones that restore the menstrual cycle. Girls are prescribed vitamin therapy for the same purposes depending on the phase of the cycle.

Pituitary dwarfism (deficiency of pituitary hormones)

Pituitary dwarfism is short stature caused by insufficient production of growth hormone in childhood. This disease, associated with disruption of the pituitary gland, is genetic in nature. Defects in genes disrupt the synthesis of growth hormone in the pituitary gland, and, as a rule, this is combined with a deficiency of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones.

The main symptom is growth retardation from 2-4 years, the growth rate does not exceed 4 centimeters per year. The physique of the patients is proportional, however, the proportions are more consistent with those of children. Delayed sexual development is often observed. The genital organs are significantly underdeveloped, but their defects are rare. Secondary sexual characteristics are often absent. The majority of patients have completely preserved intelligence.

The diagnosis is made based on low levels of growth hormone in the blood.

Treatment. Patients are injected with artificial somatotropin, which stimulates their growth. It is better to start it no later than 5-7 years, then there is a hope of “holding out” the patient to normal growth. In order to avoid errors in diagnosis (short stature may be due to other reasons, such as lack of nutrition), an observation period of 6-12 months is required. During this time, complex restorative therapy is prescribed, good nutrition, A and D, drugs and phosphorus. If against this background there is no sufficient improvement in physical development, then they begin taking somatotropic hormone.

Adequate nutrition, restorative therapy with vitamins and biostimulants, as well as zinc preparations are also important. Lifelong monitoring by an endocrinologist is carried out.

Postpartum pituitary infarction (Sheehan syndrome)

Sheehan syndrome was described in 1937 by N. L. Sheehan. Develops after heavy bleeding during childbirth or during an abortion. During pregnancy, the pituitary gland increases in size and fills with blood; when it bleeds, necrosis and cell destruction begin in it. If more than 90% of the pituitary gland is destroyed, the body develops total glandular deficiency. internal secretion, caused by the fact that they no longer receive stimulating signals from the pituitary gland. With this disease of the pituitary gland, weakness, lethargy, dizziness, and loss of appetite appear. Problems with milk production may occur.

Particularly dangerous is a drop in pressure as a result of adrenal insufficiency. It can lead to death. Tests show low levels of all hormones.

Treatment. Replacement therapy. Artificial analogues of hormones are introduced. Treatment continues for life.

Pituitary disease Simmonds syndrome

Simmonds syndrome was described in 1974 by the German doctor M. Simmonds. This is also pituitary insufficiency, but does not develop in postpartum period, but from injuries, infections (sepsis, encephalitis, syphilis) or vascular disorders(spasm, collapse).

The clinical picture of a combination of hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism, however, early stages Insufficiency of only one of the endocrine glands is possible.

One of the first symptoms of this pituitary disease is rapid weight loss. Weakness, lethargy, apathy, loss of appetite, dry skin and mucous membranes, dry and brittle hair, hair loss, swelling of the face, constipation develop, the heart rate decreases, then menstruation in women and potency in men disappear, then blood pressure begins to decrease, which can lead to vascular collapse and death.

The diagnosis is made based on a combination of characteristic complaints with low level hormones in the blood.

Treatment. A diet containing sufficient amounts of proteins, fats, vitamins and replacement therapy hormones, lasting for life.

Disease associated with dysfunction of the pituitary gland: diabetes insipidus

Translated from Greek, “diabetes” means “to pass through.” At diabetes mellitus The cause of the disease is a violation of the production of the hormone insulin.

Diabetes insipidus is a completely different disease, although it is also endocrine. It is associated with insufficient production of the hormone vasopressin by the pituitary gland, which retains fluid in the body.

In the absence of the hormone, the fluid literally begins to pass through: the patient drinks a lot (up to 5-6 liters per day), and he produces the same amount of urine.

The cause of this disease of the pituitary gland may be congenital disorders of vasopressin synthesis or damage to the pituitary gland by tumors, injuries, or infections. Sometimes the level of vasopressin in the blood is normal, but they are insensitive to it.

If you limit fluid intake, the patient may develop symptoms of damage to the central nervous system: decreased blood pressure, lethargy, irritability, impaired coordination of movements, elevated temperature bodies. If fluid loss is not stopped, coma may develop.

An artificial analogue of vasopressin is used for treatment. If the cause of diabetes insipidus is renal insensitivity, a special class of diuretics is used that can restore sensitivity.

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The pituitary gland (pituitary gland) is an endocrine gland, one of the most important in the human body. The pituitary gland is located on the lower surface of the brain. It has round shape, measuring no more than 1 × 1.3 cm, and is covered with a saddle bone of the skull, which performs a protective function.

Despite small size, the significance of the gland is simply enormous. The pituitary gland synthesizes hormones that affect the functioning of all processes occurring in the human body, from physiological to sensory-psychological. Therefore, any dysfunction in the activity of the pituitary gland will have Negative influence not only on human health, but also on his appearance.

Pituitary gland diseases are characterized by excessive or insufficient production of hormones. The main hormones produced by the pituitary gland: oxytocin, vasopressin, prolactin, somatotropin, follicle-stimulating, adrenocorticotropic, thyroid-stimulating, etc.

Causes of pituitary gland diseases

The most common cause of disruption of the normal functioning of the pituitary gland is an adenoma (tumor). It puts pressure on the gland, preventing it from functioning normally.

The functioning of the pituitary gland is also affected by the state of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is one of the parts of the human brain that is closely connected with the pituitary gland, so there is even the concept of “hypothalamic-pituitary system”.

Other reasons that cause disruption of the pituitary gland include:

• congenital dysfunction of the pituitary gland;
• history of traumatic brain injury;
• viral and infectious diseases brain (meningitis or encephalitis);
• chronic or acute disorder blood supply to the brain (aneurysm or carotid artery thrombosis);
• surgery on the pituitary gland or brain;
• radiation used to treat cancer;
• frequent use of corticosteroids, antiarrhythmic and antiepileptic medications.

Some diseases and dysfunctions of the pituitary gland appear for unknown reasons, including adenoma, but they share the same symptoms.

Important! The first symptoms of a malfunction of the pituitary gland may be a narrowing of the visual field, excessive sweating, and a rough voice.

Pituitary adenoma is a benign tumor located in the recess of the saddle bone. Treatment is carried out with radiation therapy or surgery.

Manifestation of abnormalities in the functioning of the pituitary gland

Because the pituitary gland is located in the brain, it comes into contact with tens of thousands nerve endings. Therefore, dysfunctions of the pituitary gland and the symptoms characteristic of them are very diverse.

The main manifestations of pituitary gland diseases include:

• excess body weight that a person is unable to control, kilograms come from fat deposits, and muscles decrease and atrophy;
• the activity of the main life support systems is disrupted: cardiovascular and respiratory; the patient is concerned about decreased blood pressure, arrhythmia, and frequent constipation;
• a person, even with minor blows or dislocations, can break the bones of a leg or arm, thinning of the bone tissue occurs;
• there is a loss of appetite;
• fatigue during the day and anxiety, restless sleep at night time;
• the skin becomes dry, the skin begins to become covered with small wounds;
• memory deteriorates;
• is changing appearance a person, swelling appears, the lower or upper limbs may become enlarged;
• psycho-emotional disorders develop: depressive state, tearfulness and apathy; a person perceives himself and the world in black colors.

Important! Which of listed symptoms Diseases of the pituitary gland can manifest themselves will depend on which hormone is no longer secreted in the required quantity, and which is produced in excess.

For men and women, the signs of pituitary gland pathology are basically the same, but there are also differences.

What are the dangers of problems with the pituitary gland for men?

Specific symptoms of pituitary gland diseases in men are associated with genitourinary area. The pathology can manifest itself as external changes in the genital organs, the development of impotence, and a decrease in sexual desire.

What are the dangers of problems with the pituitary gland for women?

Diseases associated with the pituitary gland in women, just like in men, affect the genitourinary system:

• disruptions in the menstrual cycle occur, sometimes they stop completely, which indicates infertility;
• breast size changes;
• libido decreases;
• vaginal dryness develops;
• There are problems with urinary control.

Pituitary gland diseases

Symptoms of pituitary gland diseases depend on the degree hormonal imbalance. If a deficiency or excess of certain hormones is detected, the following diseases and abnormalities may occur:

• dwarfism, when growth hormone is practically not secreted;

• decreased visual acuity, neurological disorders combined with increased tactile sensitivity;
• diseases that occur due to disruption of the endocrine glands (enlarged thyroid gland, Itsenko-Cushing's disease, diabetes mellitus);
• gigantism, when growth hormone is produced in large quantities from early childhood. A person can be more than two meters tall. In adulthood, excess growth hormone manifests itself in the form of acromegaly: the facial bones of the skull enlarge, the legs and arms become long, and the size of the head is disproportionate to the body. The disease is treated by inhibiting the functions of the pituitary gland.

• Simmonds disease, the main symptom of which is rapid weight loss and exhaustion of the body.

The symptoms of diseases associated with the pituitary gland are well visualized and easily diagnosed using laboratory research and hardware diagnostics (MRI, radiography).

Treatment

Treatment of pituitary gland pathology will depend on the symptoms that appear in the patient.

In the presence of a pituitary adenoma, the appropriate treatment method is chosen depending on the size and location of the tumor.

Today, three methods of treating pituitary gland adenoma are used:

• surgical intervention: necessary when the tumor is compressing optic nerve or leads to excessively active hormone production;
• radiation therapy: X-ray irradiation is used for 5-6 weeks;
• drug treatment: carried out for diseases of the pituitary gland in children and adults. Drugs that suppress the secretion of pituitary hormones are used (Dostinex, Parlodel, Somavert, etc.).

The pituitary gland is one of the main glands responsible for human growth, development and health. Therefore, you should be attentive to the manifestations of symptoms of disease of this organ.