Let's learn about the little hero in our brain: the Posterior Pituitary Gland!

Our body is like a very amazing, complex machine, isn't it? We all know that everything in this machine is controlled by our brain. But did you know that inside your brain, there is a gland as small as a small bone, which releases very important hormones that control the amount of water in your body, cause the uterus to contract during childbirth, and create that wonderful bond between mother and child? That's what we're going to talk about today. We call this the Pituitary Gland. Today, we're going to talk in detail about a special part of it, the Posterior Pituitary.

First, let's see, what is the pituitary gland?

Imagine that your body is a big company. Then the CEO of that company is the part of the brain called the hypothalamus. Below this CEO is a general manager. That is the pituitary gland. This manager is very important, because it controls the work of many other glands in the body.

This pituitary gland is located under your brain, behind your nose, in a very safe place. It's divided into two parts. Like the front reception desk in an office and the back office.

1. Anterior Pituitary: This is the largest and busiest part. It produces and releases many hormones related to body growth, thyroid function, and sexual function.

2. Posterior Pituitary: This is our protagonist. It is smaller than the anterior pituitary. It does not produce hormones, but stores two special hormones produced and sent by the hypothalamus, and releases them into the blood when needed.

The system that includes all the glands that produce hormones, including the pituitary gland, is called the endocrine system . This is the network that exchanges chemical messages in the body.

So what are those two special hormones released by the Posterior Pituitary?

As we mentioned earlier, the Posterior Pituitary is like a warehouse. There are two very valuable "goods" stored here. They are two hormones. Both of these are made by the Hypothalamus. When a message comes from there via nerves, the Posterior Pituitary releases these hormones into the blood.

Here's a simple explanation of these two hormones and their function.

Imagine a time when you're sweating profusely and thirsty. At that time, your blood thickens a little. The hypothalamus in the brain recognizes this and sends a signal to the Posterior Pituitary, saying, "Okay, now put some ADH into the blood." Then ADH goes and tells the kidneys, "Use water sparingly, don't make too much urine." That's when the amount of urine you pass decreases, and its color becomes darker. When you're well-hydrated, the opposite happens. ADH levels decrease, and the excess water is excreted as urine. Isn't it a wonderful control?

What are the diseases that can be associated with the Posterior Pituitary?

Generally, major diseases related to this gland are rare. However, sometimes, certain problems can arise due to excessive secretion (hypersecretion) or insufficient secretion (hyposecretion) of these ADH and oxytocin hormones.

1. Hyposecretion of ADH

If the body's production or release of the ADH hormone is reduced, the kidneys lose the signal to reabsorb the water they need. This means that almost all the water you drink ends up in your urine. This condition is called Central Diabetes Insipidus (CDI) .

This condition can be caused by damage to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland. Sometimes, no cause can be found.

Main symptoms:

• Excessive urination (Polyuria): You may pass several liters of urine per day. You may have to go to the washroom frequently.
• Excessive thirst (Polydipsia): No matter how much water you drink, you feel like you're not getting enough. As your body loses water, your brain signals you to keep drinking water.
• Dehydration: If you don't drink enough water, you can lose water in your body.
• Fatigue: Having to get up frequently at night to urinate can disrupt your sleep and make you feel tired throughout the day.

2. If the ADH hormone increases (Hypersecretion of ADH)

This is the opposite of the previous one. If there is too much ADH hormone in the body, the kidneys reabsorb too much water into the body. This causes a lot of urine to be excreted. This causes water to accumulate in the body and the sodium (salt) level in the blood to become dangerously low. This condition is called SIADH (Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion) .

Things that can cause this:

• Some medications (e.g., some medications for diabetes and epilepsy).
• After surgeries performed under anesthesia.
• Conditions such as brain injuries, infections, or stroke.

Main symptoms (these are often caused by low sodium levels in the blood):

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Headache.
• Feeling like you're losing your balance and about to fall.
• Mental changes such as memory loss and agitation.

3. Problems related to the hormone Oxytocin

In fact, diseases caused by low or high levels of this hormone, oxytocin, are very, very rare. It's a very rare condition.

• If oxytocin is low: The uterus may not contract properly during labor, and milk may not come in after the baby is born.
• If oxytocin increases: This is also very rare. It can cause the uterine muscles to grow too much, making it difficult for the fetus to hold.

How do you know if there is a problem with the Posterior Pituitary?

If you have the symptoms we discussed earlier, your doctor will first ask you about your symptoms. Then, they may do some tests to get an accurate picture of your hormone levels.

• Blood Tests: Things like ADH hormone levels and blood sodium levels can be measured.
• Urine Tests: You can see how thick or thin your urine is.
• MRI scan: This helps to check for any tumors or damage to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.

Your doctor will decide on treatment based on the results of these tests.

When should I see a doctor?

Many of the conditions we've discussed are very rare. However, if you notice a change in your body, it's best not to ignore it.

In particular, if you have one or more of the following symptoms, don't waste time and see your doctor.

• If you have an unimaginable thirst and frequent, excessive urination .
• If you experience nausea, vomiting, headaches, and a feeling of imbalance for no reason.
• If you suddenly feel like your memory is confused and you can't concentrate .

At times like these, seeing a doctor and having a few simple tests done can help you determine whether there is a problem or not. So don't be afraid to seek medical advice.