The pituitary gland, also known as the "master gland", is a small oval gland located at the base of the brain. It is divided into the anterior and posterior lobes. The anterior lobe secretes hormones that control other endocrine glands, while the posterior lobe stores and releases hormones involved in water balance and milk release. Disorders of the pituitary gland include hypopituitarism caused by hormone deficiency leading to dwarfism, and hyperpituitarism caused by excess hormone secretion causing gigantism or Acromegaly. Cushing's disease results from excessive cortisol secretion by a pituitary tumor.

1. ANATOMY OF
PITUITARY GLAND
DR TANYA RASHID
ANATOMY DEPT

2. THE PITUITARY GLAND
◦ Small and oval shaped attached to the
undersurface of brain by the infundibulum.
◦ Its main function is to secrete hormones.
◦ The gland is sometimes called as the “master
gland” because it is involved in many processes
and is vital for life.

3. LOCATION
◦ It is situated in the hypophysial fossa,
a depression in the sella turcica of body
of sphenoid.
Hypophysial fossa

4. The pituitary gland is divided into:
◦ Anterior lobe OR adenohypophysis
◦ Posterior lobe OR neurohypophysis.

5. THE ANTERIOR LOBE (ADENOHYPOPHYSIS) IS
FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO:
◦ Pars distalis (largest part responsible for hormone
secretion)
◦ Pars intermedia (between anterior and posterior
lobes)
◦ Pars tuberalis (an upwards extension of pars anterior
that surrounds the anterolateral aspect of
infundibulum)
THE POSTERIOR LOBE (NEUROHYPOPHYSIS) IS
DIVIDED INTO:
◦ Median eminence
◦ Infundibulum
◦ Pars nervosa (responsible for hormone secretion)

6. ANATOMIC RELATIONS
◦ ANTERIORLY: the sphenoid sinus.
◦ POSTERIORLY: the dorsum sellae, the basilar artery and
the pons.
◦ SUPERIORLY: the diaphragma sellae, which has a central
aperture that allows the passage of the infundibulum.
◦ INFERIORLY: The body of the sphenoid, with its sphenoid
air sinuses.
◦ LATERLLAY: the cavernous sinus and its contents.

7. HORMONES OF THE PITUITARY GLAND
ANTERIOR LOBE HORMONES
◦ Anteriorcorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
◦ Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
◦ Growth hormone (GH)
◦ Lutenizing hormone (LH)
◦ Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
◦ Prolactin
POSTERIOR LOBE HORMONES
◦ Antidiuretic/vasopressin hormone
◦ Oxytocin

8. BLOOD SUPPLY
◦ ARTERIAL SUPPLY: from the superior and inferior
hypophyseal artery (branches of the internal carotid)
◦ VENOUS DRAINAGE: into the cavernous sinus.

9. PITUITARY GLAND CONDITIONS
◦ Several conditions can affect your pituitary gland.
◦ Disorders occur most often in the anterior pituitary.
◦ Most are caused by the tumor in or around the pituitary gland.
◦ EXAMPLES OF PITUITARY GLAND DISORDERS INCLUDE:
1) Hypopituitarism
2) Hyperpituitarism
3) Hyperprolactinemia
4) Cushing’s disease

10. HYPOPITUITARISM
◦ The pituitary insufficiency, is a condition in which the
pituitary gland does not make enough of certain
hormones.
EXAMPLE: decreased growth hormone, DWARFISM
◦ Dwarfism is the result of insufficient GH.
The most common complications related with
dwarfism are:
◦ Bowed legs
◦ Arthritis
◦ Hunching of back
◦ Sleeping disorders
◦ Weight gain that can place more strain on spine and
joints.

11. HYPERPITUITARISM
◦ Results in the excess production or secretion of one or
more hormones.
◦ Prolactin and Growth hormones are most commonly
over produced.
EXAMPLES:
◦ Gigantism is the result of hypersecretion of GH in
children.
◦ Abnormally tall but body proportions are normal.
◦ Acromegaly is the over secretion of GH in adulthood.
◦ Continued growth of bony, connective tissue leads to
disproportionate enlargement of tissue.

12. GIGANTISM
ACROMEGALY
DWARFISM

13. PROLACTIN
◦ The hormone that tells the body to make breast milk when a female is
pregnant or breast-feeding.
◦ Production of prolactin takes place in the pituitary gland.
◦ For males and those who are not pregnant or breast-feeding, there are only
low levels of prolactin in the body.

14. HYPERPROLACTINEMIA
◦ Overproduction of prolactin from a pituitary tumor
(prolactinoma) can cause a decrease in other
hormones like estrogen in women and
testosterone in men.
◦ Excessive prolactin in the blood affects men and
women differently.
◦ In women, prolactinoma might cause: Irregular
menstrual periods

15. CUSHING’S DISEASE
It is caused by hypersecretion of ACTH which causes the
production of too much cortisol, (Hypercortisolism)
SYMPTOMS:
◦ Moon face
◦ Weight gain
◦ Thin skin
◦ Hirsuitism
◦ Buffalo hump
◦ Loss of memory
◦ Abdominal striae

16. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING HORMONE IS PRODUCED BY PITUITARY GLAND IN
BOTH MALES AND FEMALES BUT FUNCTIONAL ONLY IN FEMALES?
◦ a) Relaxin
◦ b) Prolactin
◦ c) Vasopressin
◦ d) Somatotrophic hormones

17. GIGANTISM AND ACROMEGALY ARE DUE TO:
◦ a) Hyperthyroidism
◦ b) Hypothyroidism
◦ c) Hyperpituitarism
◦ d) Hypopituitarism

18. Which of the following gland is regarded as the “MASTER GLAND” ?
◦ a) Adrenal gland
◦ b) Hypothalamus
◦ c) Pituitary gland
◦ d) Thyroid gland

19. ◦ Which of the two hormones are released from the neurohypophysis ?
◦ a) Oxytocin and Antidiuretic hormones
◦ b) Vasopression and Lutenizing hormones
◦ c) Growth hormone and Prolactin
◦ d) Anteriordiuretic and Anteriorcorticotropic hormones