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About the Pituitary

The pituitary gland is a small organ (about the size of a pea) which sits in a small bone called the sella turcica ("Turkish saddle") in the center of the skull. It is attached to the hypothalamus at the base of the brain by a stalk (infundibulum). The pituitary releases many hormones into the blood stream which are critical for maintaining normal body function and metabolism - they influence virtually every cell in the body.

The pituitary is composed of anterior and posterior portions. The anterior pituitary makes six hormones (ACTH, TSH, LH, FSH, GH, and prolactin). The posterior pituitary releases two hormones (ADH and oxytocin) which are made in the hypothalamus. The next section: Diseases of the Pituitary - A Basic Overview will review the most common kinds of pituitary disorders. Specifics about individual pituitary hormones, signs and symptoms of their deficiency, and how to replace them can be found in the section: Pituitary Hormone Deficiency and Replacement.

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