Table of endocrine glands

Includes a listing of the hormones produced and the diseases and conditions associated with an imbalance in their production.

Endocrine gland	Location/ description	Hormones produced by gland	Gland/ hormone function	Examples of disorders associated with improper function
Hypothalamus	Lower middle of the brain	Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH Prolactin inhibitory factor (PIF, dopamine)	Communicates with both nervous and endocrine systems; Stimulates (GHRH, TRH, CRH, GnRH) or inhibits (PIF) hormone production in the pituitary	Precocious puberty (early GnRH production); Kallman syndrome (inadequate GnRH production); Thyroid diseases
		Oxytocin	Uterine contraction during labour
		Arginine vasopressin (AVP), also called antidiurectic hormone (ADH)	Water balance	Diabetes insipidus (inadequate AVP production)
Pituitary	Below hypothalamus, behind sinus cavity	Prolactin	Milk production	Hypopituitarism Empty Sella syndrome Galactorrhoea (milk production not during pregnancy due to high prolactin)
		Growth hormone (GH)	Bone growth	Acromegaly or Gigantism (excess GH)
		ACTH	Stimulates cortisol	Cushing's disease (excess ACTH)
		TSH	Stimulates thyroid hormone	Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism
		LH, FSH	Regulation of testosterone and oestrogen, fertility	Loss of menstrual period Loss of sex drive Infertility
Thyroid	Butterfly-shaped; lies flat against windpipe in the throat	T4 (thyroxine) T3 (triiodothyronine)	Helps regulate the rate of metabolism	Thyroid diseases
		Calcitonin	Helps regulate bone status, blood calcium
Parathyroid	4 tiny glands located behind, next to, or below the thyroid	Parathyroid hormone (PTH)	Regulates blood calcium	Hyperparathyroidism Hypoparathyroidism MEN1
Adrenal	2 triangular organs, on top of each kidney	Adrenaline Noradrenaline	Blood pressure regulation, stress reaction	Phaeochromocytoma (MEN2)
		Aldosterone	Salt, water balance	Conn's syndrome
		Cortisol	Stress reaction	Cushing's syndrome Addison's disease
		DHEA-S	Body hair development at puberty	Cancer Adrenal hyperplasia
Ovaries (females only)	2 located in the pelvis	Oestrogen Progesterone	Female sexual characteristics	Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Testes (males only)	2 located in the groin	Testosterone	Male sexual characteristics	Hypogonadism
Pancreas	Large, gourd-shaped gland, located behind the stomach	Insulin Glucagon Somatostatin	Glucose regulation	Diabetes mellitus MENI Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Pineal	Lower side of the brain	Melatonin	Not well understood; Helps control sleep patterns, affects reproduction