| Term |
Definition |
|---|
| Follicle-stimulating hormone | This sex hormone (gonadotrophin) contributes to sexual development of children. In women, together with LH, it controls ovulation and is thus essential for a normal menstrual cycle and for fertility. In men, with LH, it stimulates the testes to produce sperm. |
| Galactorrhoea | Abnormal milk secretion from the breasts. |
| Gigantism | A condition caused by production of too much growth hormone during childhood, before growth is complete. It causes people to grow much taller than they would otherwise have done. |
| Gonadotrophin releasing hormone | The hormone that controls production of luteinising hormone and follicle stimulating hormone in the pituitary gland. |
| Gonadotrophins | This is a collective term for the sex hormones FSH and LH, which are hormones produced by the pituitary gland. They stimulate the ovaries or testicles. |
| Gonads | The reproductive organs - ovaries in a woman, testes (testicles) in a man. |
| Growth hormone | A hormone produced by the pituitary gland which controls rate of growth. It is mainly produced while you are asleep. Even after growth has ceased, growth hormone has important effects during adult life. |
| Gynaecomastia | Enlargement of breast tissue in the male. |
| Hydrocortisone | A drug which replaces the natural hormone cortisol. |
| Hyperprolactinaemia | Overproduction of the hormone prolactin. |
| Hypogonadism | Deficiency of sex hormone secretion. This can either be primary, due to a disorder of the testes or ovaries, or secondary when due to disease of the pituitary or hypothalamus. |
| Hyponatraemia | This occurs when the blood becomes too dilute. It can lead to headaches and feeling generally unwell. With DI it is likely to mean your desmopressin dose is not correct. You should see your doctor if this occurs. |
| Hypophysis | An alternative name for the pituitary gland. |
| Hypophysitis | A condition resulting in inflammation of the pituitary gland (hypophysis). Variations include Granulomatous Hypophysitis, Lymphocytic Hypophysitis and Tuberculosis Hypophysitis. |
| Hypothalamus | The part of the brain which controls the pituitary gland. |
| Hypothyroidism | Underactivity of the thyroid gland. This condition is sometimes caused by a pituitary problem. |
| Idiopathic | Of unknown origin. |
| Infundibulum | An alternative name for the pituitary stalk, which connects the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. |
| Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 | The levels of IGF-I in the blood are controlled by GH, and IGF-I can be used to measure how active your acromegaly is. |
| Intramuscular injection | An injection deep into the muscle, as opposed to under the skin. |
| Lanreotide | A somatostatin analogue used to reduce levels of growth hormone. |
| Leydig cells | Cells in the testicles that produce most of a man's testosterone. |
| Luteinising hormone | This sex hormone contributes to sexual development of children. In women, together with FSH, it controls ovulation and is thus essential for a normal menstrual cycle and for fertility. In men, with FSH, it stimulates the testes to produce sperm. |
| Macroprolactinoma | A prolactin-secreting pituitary tumour which is more than 10mm ( inch) in diameter. |
| Microprolactinoma | A prolactin-secreting pituitary tumour which is less than 10mm ( inch) in diameter. |
Glossary 
