Which hormones are produced and/or controlled by the posterior pituitary or hypothalamus?
• Oxytocin stimulates contractions of the uterus during labor and the ejection of milk during breast-feeding. • Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) increases reabsorption of water into the blood by the kidneys and therefore decreases urine production. Also referred to as Vasopressin. What happens if the pituitary produces either too much or too little of these hormones? An imbalance occurs, leading to more than a dozen disorders of the endocrine system. Deficiency of thyroid hormone, adrenal cortical hormone (cortisol) or antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) is rapidly life-threatening. In patients with abnormalities of the other hormones, quality of life is significantly compromised. What causes the pituitary to malfunction? Tumors (overwhelmingly benign), inflammation, infections and injury can cause the gland to malfunction, as well as metastasis or spread of other tumors to the pituitary (rare). Radiation therapy to the brain can also cause normal pituitary cells to malfunction.
