What are pituitary disorders?

Pituitary disorders affect the pituitary, a small gland at the base of the skull that determines the production of hormones in the body. There are a variety of reasons that the pituitary gland may not function properly, but the most common cause is a non-cancerous tumor. The presence of a tumor can make the pituitary produce either too much or too little of a certain hormone. Improper hormone levels can cause a wide range of problems.