Anterior pituitary gland

• found in the brain

• stimulated by the hypothalamus

tropic hormones

• thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

  • causes the thyroid to produce thyroxine

    • too much- hyperthyroidism, tumors, and grave disease

    • not enough- hypothyroidism, goiter disease

• Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

  • stimulates adrenal glands

    • too much- cushing’s syndrome or tumors

    • not enough- Addison’s disease (autoimmune)

• Growth hormone (GH)

  • stimulates growth in bones and muscles

    • too much- gigantism or acromegaly

    • not enough- dwarfism

• Melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH)

  • stimulates melanocytes to produce melanin

    • too much- excess pigmentation in some disease states such as Addison

    • not enough- no diseases discovered

• prolactin (PRL)

  • stimulates the production of breast milk

Gonadotropins hormones

• luteinizing hormone (LH)

  • stimulates the release of sex hormones

    • too much- early puberty, polycystic ovaries, menopause

    • not enough- delayed puberty, decreased fertility

• follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

  • stimulates egg and sperm production

    • too much- ovarian/testicular dysfunction

    • not enough- infertility or menstrual irregularities