What Is The Pituitary Gland And What Is Its Function?

The pituitary is a small gland located in the sella turcica, aka the 'Turkish saddle'. It is located in the bone hollow at the base of your skull, below the brain, and behind the bridge.

There are two major parts to the pituitary system: the anterior pituitary and posterior pituitary. It is connected to the hypothalamus, which controls its activity.

Short blood vessels connect the anterior pituitary to the brain. The posterior pituitary is actually a part of the brain. It secretes hormones directly into bloodstream at the brain's command.

What is the Function of the Pituitary Gland?

Because the hormones it makes control many processes within the body, the pituitary is often called the master gland. It is responsible for sensing the body's needs, and sending signals to various organs and glands throughout our bodies to regulate their function and maintain a healthy environment.

It releases a range of hormones into bloodstream that act as messengers and transmit information from pituitary to distant cells. This regulates their activity.

Prolactin is one example of hormones produced by the pituitary, which acts on breasts to stimulate milk production. The pituitary gland also produces hormones that affect the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, ovaries, and testes.

These hormones in turn create other hormones. The pituitary gland regulates metabolism, growth, reproduction, blood pressure, and other vital bodily functions.

What Hormones Does the Pituitary Gland Produce?

These hormones are secreted by the anterior pituitary and released into the bloodstream:

Adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulates adrenal glands to secrete steroids, principally cortisol.
Growth hormone is a hormone that regulates metabolism, growth and body composition.
Follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone are also known as gonadotrophins. They are able to stimulate egg and sperm maturation and sex hormone production by acting on the testes or ovaries.
Prolactin is a hormone that stimulates milk production
Thyroid stimulating hormone is a hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland's production of thyroid hormones.

Each hormone is produced by a different type of pituitary cell, with the exception of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone, which are both made by the same cell.

The hypothalamus produces two hormones, which are then stored in the posterior Pituitary gland and released into the bloodstream. These hormones are:

Anti-diuretic hormone, also referred to as vasopressin, is responsible for regulating blood pressure and water balance in the body.
Oxytocin triggers contractions of the uterus during labor and the production of milk for breastfeeding.

The intermediate pituitary gland is located between the posterior pituitary (anterior pituitary) and the posterior pituitary. These cells produce:

Melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which acts on cells in the skin to stimulate the melanin production.

What Are Some Problems Involving the Pituitary Gland?

The hormones that the pituitary gland produces are important in many ways. They regulate many organ functions and perform a variety of tasks.

The symptoms that occur when the pituitary is not functioning properly can vary depending on the hormone being affected. Three main categories can be broken down into conditions that directly affect the pituitary gland:

There are certain conditions that can cause the pituitary to produce excessive amounts of one or more hormones. Acromegaly and Cushing's disease are examples.
There are many conditions that can cause the pituitary to produce less of one or more hormones. Hypopituitarism, adult-onset growth hormone deficiencies, and diabetes insipidus are some examples.
Changes in the size or shape of the pituitary gland can cause them to be affected. Examples include empty sella syndrome.

One cell type can divide, forming a benign lump known as a tumor. The patient could then be affected by too much hormone produced by the cell.

Even though the tumor is still benign, it can grow very large and cause hypopituitarism. It may also push up and affect vision, causing a visual field defect.

Sometimes, the tumor can grow sideways and cause double vision. This is because it affects the nerves controlling eye movements.

These tumors rarely spread to other areas of the body, even if they are very large.

Treatments

For the general treatment of age-related conditions due to sluggish pituitary function, an over-the-counter growth hormone supplement will often provide positive benefits. These supplements are commonly marketed as HGH pills and oral sprays.

The most up-to-date treatments for more severe pituitary disorders are provided by surgeons, endocrinologists and other medical professionals. Each patient is treated according to their individual needs.

This may include co-existing conditions like cancer and pregnancy. During the treatment plan, the doctor will discuss all options available. They will also monitor progress to determine if any adjustments are needed.