Tumors of the Hypophysis (or pituitary gland) are a group of predominantly benign neoplasms affecting a small structure located in the center of the brain, posterior to the root of the nose, which has the peculiarity of being a “neuroendocrine” gland, that is, composed of a pedicle and posterior portion of a nervous nature (neurohypophysis) and an anterior portion of a properly glandular nature (adenohypophysis).
Despite its size of a few millimeters, the pituitary gland plays a central role in mediating the “dialogue” between the brain and the rest of the body and regulating, as a result, numerous functions of the body.
Specifically, the neurohypophysis receives hormonal stimuli from the hypothalamus (a brain structure on which the regulation of many fundamental physiological functions of an autonomic nature, such as appetite, water-salt balance, body temperature, sleep-wake rhythm, visceral functions, etc.) and transfers them to the adenohypophysis, which, based on the information received, will begin to secrete hormones directed to modulate the activity of “target glands,” such as the thyroid, ovary, testis, etc.
