E22: Hyperfunction of pituitary gland

E22.1: Hyperprolactinaemia

The messenger substance is created in the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a gland in the brain. Many messenger substances are created for the body in this gland. These messenger substances influence growth, metabolism and sex hormones, for example. You have too much of the messenger substance in your body that promotes lactation in the breast. The messenger substance is called prolactin. Prolactin moreover affects other messenger substances in the body called sex hormones.

If you have too much of the messenger substance prolactin in your body, there may be various symptoms. For example, the mammary gland can swell up or women may no longer have a period. Men may have erectile dysfunction.