The adrenal glands are controlled in part by the brain. The hypothalamus, a small area of the brain involved in hormonal regulation, produces corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin (also known as antidiuretic hormone). Vasopressin and CRH trigger the pituitary gland to secrete corticotropin (also known as adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, regulated mostly by the kidneys, causes the adrenal glands to produce more or less aldosterone.

Hypopituitarism is the decreased (hypo) secretion of one or more of the eight hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.If there is decreased secretion of one specific pituitary hormone, the condition is known as selective hypopituitarism. If there is decreased secretion of most or all pituitary hormones, the term panhypopituitarism is used.

Pheochromocytomas was a neuroendocrine tumor that arise from sympathetic and parasympathetic paraganglia. Because of the excess secretion of hormones, these tumors often cause debilitating symptoms and a poor quality of life. While medical management plays a significant role in the treatment of pheochromocytoma patients, surgical excision remains the only cure.

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is characterized by impairment in normal steroid production. Patients with the most severe forms also have decreased adrenomedullary function. However, the clinical implications of epinephrine deficiency are not clear. Objective: Evaluate the adrenomedullary function in children with salt-wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia (SW CAH) and assess its relationship to the number of hospitalizations due to adrenal crises. We compare the clinical, analytical and genotypic characteristics and the therapeutic needs of patients with and without adrenomedullary disfunction. Methods: We measured 24-hours urine catecholamine levels (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) and 21-hydroxylase genotype in 21 SW CAH.

Chronic noncommunicable diseases represent the greatest burden of health in industrialized countries and a rapidly growing problem in underdeveloped countries.