Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 54002

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What Happens when you don't have a Pituitary Gland

Posted by Joy on February 14, 2001, at 16:33:57

I have a male acquaintence who had a tumor somewhere in his brain and had surgery over 7 years ago. He says he does not have his pituitary gland. He does get depressed. I'm not sure if he's on meds but he takes testostrone gel daily. He is healthy looking but he gets deeply depressed. What happens when you don't have this gland? Anybody know?
Joy

Re: What Happens when you don't have a Pituitary Gland

Posted by Racer on February 14, 2001, at 19:07:47

In reply to What Happens when you don't have a Pituitary Gland, posted by Joy on February 14, 2001, at 16:33:57

All I know comes from experience with horses with Cushings disease: that's caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland. This won't be all that useful, but here goes:

With Cushings, the tumor interferes with the biofeedback loop from the brain to the adrenal glands, leading to an overproduction of cortisol and other stress hormones. I know that the pituitary gland has somehting to do with hormones, too, I think it's what produces testosterone in women, but don't quote me on that.

I know that there are drugs that help with Cushings, like pergolide, so I imagine that if his various and sundry chemicals are out of whack, his doctor will have some drugs to try. Before checking on the anti-depressant choices, though, I'd have the doctor check his stress hormones...

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