Anterior Lobe Pituitary Disorders

As the hormones are so diversified in their actions, the symptoms depend on which of the hormones is overproduced or missing.

Signs and symptoms of anterior lobe pituitary disorder:

A slowly growing pituitary adenoma, which is essentially a benign tumor of the anterior pituitary gland, will often first affect the gonadotropin function, followed by growth hormone deficiency, and finally low TSH and low ACTH.

Due to the pressure of the adenoma on the optic chiasm that is in very close proximity to the pituitary gland, there is a characteristic visual field loss of the corresponding outside halves of the visual field on each side (black area in this link corresponds with blind fields). The eye specialist calls this a bitemporal hemianopsia. Depending on what visusal loss has occurred, conclusions can be drawn as to the location of the tumor.

This is a grave sign as even with successful surgery this visual field defect often does not return to normal. Other signs can be a different type of headache or a new pattern of headaches.

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are linked here to the earlier chapter on that topic. Similarly symptoms of dwarfism, which is due to GH deficiency, has been linked here. ACTH deficiency can be found under this link: Addison's disease symptoms.

There are variations of symptom complexes in special circumstances. Things can become quite complicated when adenomas are hormone producing, such as ACTH producing tumors or growth hormone producing tumors. All of these cases need a thorough work-up by an endocrinologist. Eventually, if an adenoma of the anterior pituitary lobe has been confirmed, a neurosurgeon specializing in pituitary tumor surgery, needs to remove this tumor. This endoscopic procedure is also known transsphenoidal hypophysectomy (note: the term "hypophysis" is synonymous with "pituitary gland").

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Disclaimer:

This outline is only a teaching aid to patients and should stimulate you to ask the right questions when seeing your doctor. However, the responsibility of treatment stays in the hands of your doctor and you.

References:

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Last Modified: Febr. 1, 2012