Carel struycken acromegaly meaning

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Misbehaving Pituitaries

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At the base of the human brain there lies a tiny organ called the pituitary gland. About the size of a pea, this demure little gland produces and secretes a cocktail of hormones into the bloodstream from its bony nook inside the skull, helping the body to govern many internal systems. The pituitary is perhaps most well-known for its production of the ~~amino acid~~ protein somatotropin, a growth hormone which stimulates cell reproduction and bodily development.

This humble chemical factory typically produces some amount of growth hormone throughout an individual’s life, though the volume usually drops off precipitously after adolescence. In spite of its small size, however, misbehaving pituitaries have been known to cause massive conseq

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Shedding Light on a Rare Disease : Woman Hopes O.C. Group Will Increase Awareness of Life-Threatening Effects of Excessive-Growth Illness

NEWPORT BEACH — Jill Meer doesn’t avoid mirrors, but they are a constant reminder that her appearance has changed. “I gave up worrying about my looks,” she says. “I had to. It was hurting too much.”

In addition to a puffy and “fuller” face, Meer’s ring size has gone from a 7 to a 9 1/2 and her feet from 7 1/2 narrow to 9 1/2 medium. Nearly 20 years after graduating from high school, she has grown 1 1/2 inches.

Meer’s condition is caused by acromegaly, a rare and potentially life-threatening disease brought on when a tumor on the pituitary gland creates an overproduction of growth hormone. Acromegaly is characterized by excessive skeletal growth and soft tissue enlargement, the most obvious symptoms being the growth of hands, feet, nose and jaw.

The biblical giant Goliath probably provided the first description of the disease, which i

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Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by abnormal production of growth hormone after the skeleton and other organs finish growing. It most commonly affects adults in middle age, and can result in severe disfigurement, serious complicating conditions, and premature death if unchecked

Causes

Acromegaly is a syndrome that results when the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (GH) after epiphyseal tallrik closure at puberty. A number of disorders may increase the pituitary’s GH output, although most commonly it involves a GH producing tumor called pituitary adenoma, derived from a distinct type of fängelse (somatotrophs).The cause of the increased growth hormone release is usually a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland, which is located just below the brain, controls the production and release of several different hormones, including growth hormone.

Acromegaly occurs in about 6 of every 100,000 adults. Because o