Endocrine disorders pituitary gland

Cushing s syndrome (hypercorticism) is an endocrine hormone disorder caused by high levels of cortisol in the blood. Cushing s disease refers to one specific cause, a non-cancerous tumour (adenoma) in the pituitary gland that produces a large amount of ACTH, which in turn elevates cortisol. It can usually be cured by surgery. 

The endocrine system is complex, involving many glands and hormones, which are interconnected by feedback mechanisms. The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus produce hormones that affect the activity of many other glands. There are many disorders of the endocrine glands. 

A condition most frequently found in adolescent girls or young adult single women, characterized by pitiful emaciation resulting from self-inflicted voluntary starvation. The term implies that the condition is a neurosis, which is true in the majority of cases. Occasionally, however, it is caused by endocrine imbalances, usually resulting from disorders within the pituitary gland. 

Mulliplc endocrine neoplasias are inherited disorders. The syndromes are usually transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern. The endocrine glands most often affected are the parathyroid, pituitary, pancreas, thyroid and adrenal. It is postulated that the cell types involved in these tumours have a common embryological precursor. There arc three well-dcrmed multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes (Fig. 2). 

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