Video Transcript
Which of the following endocrine conditions is most likely to develop as a result of
a tumor in the pituitary gland? (A) Bulging eyes, exophthalmos; (B) gigantism; (C) diabetes.
To answer this question, let’s review the outcomes of the pituitary gland tumor. The pituitary gland is a deep brain structure that is an endocrine gland, which means
that it produces hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that are released in the blood, which can adjust
body functions and adapt to changes in the environment.
The pituitary gland is often called the master gland because it can exert an effect
on other endocrine glands, causing them to release hormones. Some of the glands that the pituitary gland can exert an effect on include the
thyroid gland and the bones and muscles. When the pituitary gland releases thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH, it acts on the
thyroid to stimulate the release of thyroxine.
Thyroxine controls the release of energy from food. Since this hormone and the elements necessary to make it are stored in the thyroid
gland, both over- and undersecretion of thyroxine by the thyroid gland can cause the
gland to enlarge. An overproduction of thyroxine that leads to a goiter can cause weight loss and an
increase in heart rate. Additionally, when this type of goiter also presents with bulging eyes, it is the
sign of an autoimmune disease that has overstimulated the thyroid, rather than a
tumor in the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland also acts directly upon the bones and muscles through the release
of growth hormone, or GH for short. GH is a hormone that plays an important role in the growth and development of our
bones and muscles. However, when too much GH is produced during childhood, it causes the long bones to
overgrow, resulting in a condition called gigantism. The most common cause of gigantism is a noncancerous tumor on the pituitary
gland.
The remaining option, diabetes, is a disease that occurs when the pancreas
malfunctions and stops producing insulin. So, unlike goiters and gigantism, which are indirectly and directly related to the
pituitary, diabetes is not related to the function of the pituitary gland.
With this information, we are now ready to answer the question. So, the endocrine condition most likely to develop as a result of a tumor in the
pituitary gland is gigantism.
