Endocrine Questions

1. A man has panhypopituitarism (decreased function of all cells in the anterior pituitary). What hormone levels will be decreased in his body? What hormone levels will be increased (if any)? What will his blood glucose be like?

2. A woman is hypothyroid. She has low levels of TSH, T3, and T4 in her blood. What could be causing her problem?

Hypothyroidism can be caused by decreased thyroid function, but in that case the anterior pituitary would keep making TSH to try and stimulate the thyroid, and TSH would be high. In this woman’s case, the problem must be either with the anterior pituitary, which is not secreting TSH, or with the hypothalamus not secreting TRH to tell the anterior pituitary to secrete TSH.

3. She was given a TRH test, in which the technician injected her with TRH and then measured her blood TSH levels. What use is this test?

This will tell whether the problem is with her hypothalamus or her anterior pituitary. If the anterior pituitary is working right, it will respond to the TRH injection and start making TSH again. Then you will know that her problem is with her hypothalamus not producing TRH.

4. A man has a secreting tumor of the GH-secreting cells in his anterior pituitary. What will his blood sugar be like?

A secreting tumor makes too much of the hormone. Growth Hormone causes increased blood glucose. It may also cause increased growth of soft connective tissues, enlarging nose and fingers and possibly compressing nerves.