Hypopituitarism is a disorder in which your
pituitary gland fails to produce one or more of its
hormones, or doesn't produce enough of them. A short
supply of one or more of these pituitary hormones
can affect any number of your body's routine
functions.
While physicians rarely diagnose
hypopituitarism, they should be aware of the signs and symptoms that
characterize this disorder. The pituitary gland plays a major role in
the endocrine system, linking the endocrine system and the CNS.
The pituitary is a small bean-shaped gland
located at the base of your brain, somewhat behind
your nose and between your ears. It's part of your
endocrine system, which consists of glands that
produce hormones that regulate processes throughout
your body. Besides the pituitary gland, the
endocrine system includes the thyroid gland,
parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas,
ovaries (in females) and testicles (in men).
