Pituitary gland location

Overview What is the anterior pituitary? The anterior pituitary is the front lobe of your Your pituitary gland is made of two lobes: the anterior (front) lobe and posterior (back) lobe. The anterior pituitary creates and releases over six different hormones, which regulate various cellular processes including: • Growth. • • Reproduction. • Response to • What is the pituitary gland? Your pituitary gland is a small gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. It’s in charge of making many different important hormones. Your pituitary gland also tells other endocrine system glands to release hormones. Your pituitary gland is connected to your hypothalamus through a stalk of blood vessels and nerves. This is called the pituitary stalk. Through the stalk, your hypothalamus communicates with your pituitary gland and tells it to release certain hormones. Your hypothalamus is the part of your brain that controls functions like Your pituitary gland makes the following hormones: • • Antidiuretic hormone (ADH, or vasopressin). • • Growth hormone (GH). • • • • Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Your pituitary gland doesn’t produce and release all of these hormones continuously. Most are released in bursts every one to three hours, alternating between periods of activity and inactivity. Another term to describe the release of hormones from your pituitary gland is pulsatile. Your pituitary gland may secrete some hormones based on your circadian rhythm. What is the end...

• 1 Anatomical Position and Relations • 1.1 Clinical Significance: Pituitary Adenoma • 2 Anatomical Structure • 3 Vasculature The pituitary gland (the hypophysis) is a major gland of the endocrine system. It secretes hormones that control the actions of other endocrine organs and various tissues around the body. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the pituitary gland – its position, structure and vascular supply. Anatomical Position and Relations The pituitary gland is a pea-sized oval structure, suspended from the underside of the brain by the pituitary stalk (known as the infundibulum). It sits within a small depression in the sphenoid bone, known as the sella turcica (‘’Turkish saddle’’). The superior surface of the gland is covered by a reflection of the diaphragma sellae. This membrane has a central opening which allows passage of the infundibulum. The gland has several key anatomical relations: • Anteriorly– sphenoid sinus (the pituitary gland is accessed surgically via the sphenoid sinus, known as a trans-sphenoidal approach). • Posteriorly – posterior intercavernous sinus, dorsum sellae (posterior wall of the sella turcica), basilar artery and the pons. • Superiorly – diaphragma sellae (fold of dura mater that covers the pituitary gland), optic chiasm. • Inferiorly – sphenoid sinus • Laterally – cavernous sinus. Clinical Significance: Pituitary Adenoma A pituitary adenoma is a neoplasm of the pituitary gland. These tumours are usually benign and can be...

What is the Pituitary Gland? The pituitary gland is a pea size organ that sits inside the sella, a bony structure located in the middle of the head, beneath the brain and behind the nose and sinuses. The pituitary gland is considered the “master endocrine gland” because it produces and releases a number of hormones that control other glands in the body to regulate many biological functions. These hormones include: • Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulates the adrenal gland to make the hormone cortisol that is required for response to stress • Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)-regulates water balance in the body • Growth hormone (GH)-regulates growth • Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-regulates production of egg and sperm • Luteinizing hormone (LH)-stimulates release of estrogen in women and testosterone in men • Prolactin-stimulates breast milk production after pregnancy • Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-stimulates the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone that is essential for regulation of metabolism, temperature and other bodily functions Common Pituitary Conditions Because of its location and role in regulating hormones within the body, any abnormality of the pituitary gland can be associated with a wide range of symptoms and disorders. For example, if the pituitary gland grows in size, this can cause pressure on the optic chiasm, a bundle of nerve fibers that communicates information from the eyes to the brain, which can lead to vision issues or headaches. Pituitar...

• The pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized organ in the brain. Most pituitary tumors are benign. • Symptoms vary depending on the type of tumor and the affected area of the pituitary gland. • Your health care provider may order blood and urine tests, CT scan, MRI, or biopsy to diagnose the tumor. • Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, or medication. What are pituitary tumors? A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland. The pituitary is a small gland in the brain. It is located behind the back of the nose. It makes hormones that affect many other glands and many functions in your body. Most pituitary tumors are not cancerous (benign). They don’t spread to other parts of your body. But they can cause the pituitary to make too few or too many hormones, causing problems in the body. Pituitary tumors that make too many hormones will cause other glands to make more hormones. That will cause symptoms related to each of the specific hormones. Many pituitary tumors will also press against the nearby optic nerves. This can cause vision problems. Most pituitary tumors don’t cause symptoms. As a result, they are not diagnosed. Or they are found only during a routine brain imaging test. About 25% of people may have small pituitary tumors without knowing it. Below are the main types of pituitary tumors. Nonfunctional adenomas (null cell adenomas) These tumors are the most common type. They don’t make extra hormone. You may not have any symptoms until th...

×Top Health Categories • Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 • Gastrointestinal Health • Artificial Intelligence • Heart Disease • Mpox • High Blood Pressure • Allergies • Lung Cancer • Alzheimer's & Dementia • Mental Health • Arthritis & Rheumatology • Pregnancy • Breast Cancer • Type 1 Diabetes • Cold, Flu & Cough • Type 2 Diabetes • Diet & Nutrition • Sexual Health • Eating Disorders • Sleep • Eye Health • By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. Reviewed by The pituitary gland is a pea-sized endocrine gland that is situated in the middle of the skull base and kept protected within a bony cavity called the sella turcica. It plays an essential role in regulating the functions of various other endocrine glands and maintaining overall hormone levels in the blood. Image Credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki / Shutterstock.com How does the pituitary gland work? The pituitary gland is divided into two parts: anterior pituitary gland and posterior pituitary gland. The gland is connected to another brain structure called the hypothalamus by a stalk comprising blood vessels and nerve fibers. The anterior lobe is mainly composed of hormone-secreting epithelial cells, whereas the posterior lobe contains unmyelinated nerve fibers coming from the hypothalamus. Under the control of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland controls the autonomic nervous system, which plays an essential role in regulating various involuntary functions of the body, including body temperature, hunger and thirst, urination, heartb...

Hypopituitarism is a rare condition in which there’s a deficiency of one, multiple or all of the hormones made by your pituitary gland. Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of hypopituitarism depend on which hormones are lacking. Hypopituitarism happens when there’s a disorder of or damage to your pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Overview What is hypopituitarism? Hypopituitarism is a rare condition in which there’s a lack (deficiency) of one, multiple or all of the hormones made by your The pituitary hormones are in charge of important functions in your body, such as metabolism, growth and development and reproduction. Your pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus (the part of your brain that controls your autonomic nervous system). It’s a part of your Your pituitary gland is connected to your hypothalamus through a stalk of blood vessels and nerves. This is called the pituitary stalk. Through the stalk, your hypothalamus communicates with your pituitary gland and tells it to release certain hormones. Your hypothalamus is the part of your brain that controls functions like Hypopituitarism can occur from disorders of or damage to your pituitary gland or hypothalamus. What hormones do the pituitary gland make? Your pituitary gland makes the following hormones: • Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH or corticotropin): This hormone stimulates your adrenal glands to produce cortisol (stress hormone), which helps maintain blood pre...