What is the Pituitary Gland?
The pituitary gland is a small gland located behind the nasal sinuses and above the roof of the mouth at the base of the skull. It is connected to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. Together, the two control the production of many of the important hormones in the body. The pituitary gland sits in a tight bony space and has little room to grow or expand when swollen or if there is a tumor. The pituitary gland regulates the activity of most of the glands in the body, including the adrenal and thyroid glands and sexual hormone production (by regulating ovarian function in women and testicular function in men). The pituitary gland is considered to be the main control gland of the neuro-endocrine system. The pituitary gland has two parts – the posterior pituitary (or back part) and the anterior pituitary (front part). The posterior pituitary makes the hormones called vasopressin and oxytocin.
Located in the center of the head, behind the eyes and the optic nerve, the pituitary gland rests in the sella turcica, above the sphenoid sinus. The pituitary gland is small (about the size of a kidney bean, 10 mm, or less than 1/2 inch, in diameter), but it has very important functions because it secretes several hormones that regulate essential body processes.
The pituitary gland is a small gland located behind the nasal sinuses and above the roof of the mouth at the base of the skull. It is connected to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. Together, the two control the production of many of the important hormones in the body. The pituitary gland sits in a tight bony space and has little room to grow or expand when swollen or if there is a tumor. The pituitary gland regulates the activity of most of the glands in the body, including the adrenal and thyroid glands and sexual hormone production (by regulating ovarian function in women and testicular function in men). The pituitary gland is considered to be the main control gland of the neuro-endocrine system. The pituitary gland has two parts – the posterior pituitary (or back part) and the anterior pituitary (front part). The posterior pituitary makes the hormones called vasopressin and oxytocin.