Pituitary Disorders

The small gland with a very large inbox
Clinical review September 2026


The conductor is small, not simple
The pituitary sits beneath the brain, behind the bridge of the nose, and receives instructions from the hypothalamus. It then sends messages that influence the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries or testes, growth and water balance. Its nickname, the master gland, is useful as long as we remember that it too has a boss: the brain is a management structure, not a monarchy.
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A pituitary problem may involve too much of a hormone, too little of one, a structural change such as an adenoma, or a disturbance of water balance. The symptoms depend on the signal involved and on whether nearby structures are affected.
 
The conductor is small, not simple
The pituitary sits beneath the brain, behind the bridge of the nose, and receives instructions from the hypothalamus. It then sends messages that influence the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries or testes, growth and water balance. Its nickname, the master gland, is useful as long as we remember that it too has a boss: the brain is a management structure, not a monarchy.
​
A pituitary problem may involve too much of a hormone, too little of one, a structural change such as an adenoma, or a disturbance of water balance. The symptoms depend on the signal involved and on whether nearby structures are affected.

Why a joined-up assessment matters
Blood tests, visual assessment and MRI answer different questions. Hormone measurements show the messages; MRI shows the gland and its surroundings; formal visual fields are important if a lesion is near the optic pathways. Tests are usually interpreted together and sometimes repeated because hormones vary with time, sleep, illness and medication.
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Most pituitary tumours are benign adenomas. Benign does not mean irrelevant, but it does mean the word tumour should not be allowed to write the entire story before the evidence does. Care is commonly shared by endocrinology, neurosurgery, radiology and ophthalmology.
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Important safety note
This page is general education, not personal medical advice. Seek urgent help for sudden severe headache, new visual loss or double vision, collapse, confusion, seizure, or acute severe illness. Follow individual instructions from your endocrine team for medicines and investigations.

Further reading

• Leeds Pituitary Centre patient handbook