Hypothalamic-pituitary anatomy and physiology
Embryology and relations of the pituitary, the portal circulation, the five anterior pituitary cell types and their hypothalamic controls, dopamine inhibition of prolactin, the posterior pituitary and ADH, and how this explains stalk effect hyperprolactinaemia, visual field loss, the order of hormone loss in hypopituitarism and the triple-phase response after surgery.
Tier 1Medical sciences concept
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- The pituitary sits in the sella turcica under the optic chiasm, between the cavernous sinuses. Masses cause trouble by hormone excess, hormone loss or pressure on these neighbours.
- The anterior pituitary is controlled by hypothalamic releasing and inhibiting hormones carried through the hypophyseal portal veins. The posterior pituitary is a set of nerve terminals releasing ADH and oxytocin made in the hypothalamus.
- Every anterior pituitary hormone is driven mainly by stimulation, except prolactin, which is held down by dopamine. Cut the stalk and prolactin rises while everything else falls.
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Sources
- Williams Textbook of Endocrinology (15th ed.)Elsevier (Melmed, Auchus, Goldfine, Rosen, Kopp, 2024), 2024
- Fleseriu M, Hashim IA, Karavitaki N, et al. Hormonal replacement in hypopituitarism in adults: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016;101(11):3888-921Endocrine Society, 2016
- Petersenn S, Fleseriu M, Casanueva FF, et al. Diagnosis and management of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas: a Pituitary Society international Consensus Statement. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023;19(12):722-40Pituitary Society, 2023
- Arima H, Cheetham T, Christ-Crain M, et al. Changing the name of diabetes insipidus: a position statement of the Working Group for Renaming Diabetes Insipidus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022;108(1):1-3 (published simultaneously in several journals)Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2022
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy