2. Pituitary Adenomas: The Brain’s Unwanted Guests
There’s something captivating about a benign tumor. Not in a “let’s hang out” kind of way, but in its medical intricacies. Pituitary adenomas are benign tumors that grow in the pituitary gland, located at the base of your brain. These adenomas can cause the gland to over-secrete hormones, one of them being ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone), which then instructs your adrenal glands to produce more cortisol.
Here’s where things get tricky: pituitary adenomas are sneaky. They can be asymptomatic for years, silently messing with your hormonal balance. Only specific imaging tests can detect them. And because they’re situated near the optic nerves, they can cause vision problems if they grow large enough—a double whammy.
Now, you might wonder, “How does one get a pituitary adenoma?” Genetic predisposition plays a role, but lifestyle factors like diet and exposure to radiation can also contribute. Again, these tumors aren’t usually malignant, but they’re troublemakers all the same.(2)
