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Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland

Author: Amanda Soderlind

Hypothalamus and Pituitary Glands

Source: Video and Images Created by Amanda Soderlind

Video Transcript

Growth Hormone Disorders

Source: Video and Images Created by Amanda Soderlind

Video Transcript

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Terms to Know
Acromegaly

A condition in which growth hormone levels are too high after growth plates ossify; this causes bones to thicken and extremities to enlarge but bones cannot grow in length. The most prominent signs are enlarged facial features, hands and feet.

Anterior Lobe of Pituitary Gland

Also called the adenohypophysis, the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland started developing in the nasopharynx and migrated up into the skull to join with the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Since the anterior pituitary didn’t originate in the brain there are no direct neural connections to it. The anterior pituitary gland secretes six hormones: growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

Gigantism

A condition in which growth hormone levels are too high at an age before growth plates ossify; this causes bones and other tissues to grow proportionally larger than average.

Hypothalamus

A part of the forebrain that works closely with the pituitary gland to monitor the body's organs and their functioning.

Pituitary Dwarfism

A condition in which growth hormone levels are too low at a young age and the person is proportionally smaller than normal.

Pituitary Gland

Called the “master gland” because of its effects on other glands; endocrine hormones increase activity/secretion of many major glands of the endocrine system.

Posterior Lobe of Pituitary Gland

Also called the neurohypophysis, the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland developed from brain tissue during embryonic development and therefore is directly innervated by the hypothalamus. The two hormones the posterior pituitary secretes are anitdiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin.