Pituitary ACTH hypersecretion
Encyclopedia
Pituitary ACTH hypersecretion (or Cushing disease) is a form of hyperpituitarism
characterized by an abnormally high level of ACTH produced by the anterior pituitary
. It is one of the causes of Cushing's syndrome
. (However, Cushing's syndrome can be caused by many other causes, including exogenous administration.)
Hyperpituitarism
Hyperpituitarism is the result of excess secretion of adenohypophyseal trophic hormones most commonly by a functional pituitary adenoma. Other causes are hyperplasias and carcinomas of the adenohypophysis, secretion by non-pituitary tumours and certain hypothalamic disorders.-Clinical...
characterized by an abnormally high level of ACTH produced by the anterior pituitary
Anterior pituitary
A major organ of the endocrine system, the anterior pituitary, also called the adenohypophysis, is the glandular, anterior lobe of the pituitary gland...
. It is one of the causes of Cushing's syndrome
Cushing's syndrome
Cushing's syndrome is a hormone disorder caused by high levels of cortisol in the blood. This can be caused by taking glucocorticoid drugs, or by tumors that produce cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone or CRH...
. (However, Cushing's syndrome can be caused by many other causes, including exogenous administration.)