3 Diseases of the Anterior Pituitary

These flashcards cover essential terms and definitions related to the diseases of the anterior pituitary, beneficial for exam preparation.

Prolactinoma

A benign pituitary tumor that secretes excessive prolactin, most common type of pituitary adenoma.

Pituitary adenoma

A benign neoplasm of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, often causing hyperpituitarism.

Hyperpituitarism

Excessive secretion of pituitary hormones leading to various endocrine disorders.

Microadenoma

A pituitary adenoma smaller than 10 mm in diameter.

Macroadenoma

A pituitary adenoma larger than 10 mm in diameter.

Bitemporal hemianopsia

Loss of vision in the outer half of the visual fields due to compression of the optic chiasm.

Galactorrhea

Spontaneous discharge of milk from the breast unrelated to breastfeeding.

Cushing disease

A condition caused by pituitary adenomas secreting excess ACTH, leading to secondary adrenal hypersecretion of cortisol.

Gigantism

Excess growth during childhood due to increased levels of growth hormone (GH).

Acromegaly

Excess growth hormone secretion in adults causing enlarged features, particularly of the hands, feet, and facial bones.

Corticotroph adenoma

Pituitary adenoma that produces excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), leading to increased adrenal cortisol production.

Somatotroph adenoma

Pituitary adenoma that secretes growth hormone (GH), which can lead to gigantism or acromegaly.

Hypopituitarism

A condition characterized by deficient secretion of one or more pituitary hormones.

Sheehan syndrome

Pituitary insufficiency due to ischemic necrosis following severe postpartum hemorrhage.

Empty sella syndrome

Radiologic appearance of an enlarged sella turcica with a flattened pituitary gland, can be primary or secondary.

Stalk-section effect

Disconnection of the pituitary gland from hypothalamic control resulting in increased prolactin secretion.

Rathke pouch

An embryonic structure from which the anterior pituitary develops.

Null cell adenomas

Chromophobic adenomas that do not secrete hormones, possibly leading to hypopituitarism.

Plurihormonal adenomas

Pituitary adenomas producing multiple hormones, causing combined clinical symptoms.

Gonadotroph adenoma

A pituitary tumor that secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and/or luteinizing hormone (LH).

Thyrotroph adenoma

Pituitary adenoma that secretes thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), leading to hyperthyroidism.

GNAS1 gene

Gene associated with activating mutations in somatotroph adenomas, linked to excessive growth hormone secretion.

USP8 gene

Gene associated with mutations found in corticotroph adenomas, involved in regulating epidermal growth factor receptor levels.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)

A hormone stimulated by growth hormone, responsible for many growth-related effects.

Basophilic adenoma

A type of pituitary adenoma that stains positively for basophilic hormones, often seen in corticotroph adenomas.

Chromophobic adenoma

A pituitary adenoma that does not stain strongly for hormones on histological examination.

Cavernous sinus syndrome

A group of symptoms resulting from compression of the cranial nerves in the cavernous sinus.

Panhypopituitarism

A deficiency of all pituitary hormones.

Macrophage activation syndrome

A severe immune dysregulation condition characterized by excessive macrophage and T cell activation.

Hypoglycemia

Abnormally low levels of glucose in the blood, can result from hypopituitarism.

Mammosomatotroph adenoma

A pituitary adenoma that produces both growth hormone and prolactin.

DICER1 gene

Gene associated with a rare malignant pituitary tumor occurring in children, linked to PitB.

Histopathological features

Microscopic characteristics used to diagnose specific types of adenomas.

Visual field defect

A partial or complete loss of vision in one or more areas of the visual field.

Hypothyroidism

A condition resulting from insufficient thyroid hormone production, can occur with anterior pituitary dysfunction.

Arcuate nucleus

A cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus that releases dopamine to regulate prolactin release.

Neoplastic cells

Abnormal cells resulting from uncontrolled growth, characteristic of tumors.

Transcription factors

Proteins that regulate the transcription of specific genes, crucial for pituitary development.

Chronic hypervolemia

Increased blood volume that can lead to complications in patients with acromegaly.

Laron syndrome

A rare genetic disorder caused by growth hormone receptor dysfunction, resulting in severe growth failure.

Amenorrhea

Absence of menstruation; can be a symptom of hyperprolactinemia or hypopituitarism.