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...
poster:Racer
thread:54002
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010212/msgs/54018.html