[Neuroendocrine disturbances after acquired brain damage]

Hypopituitarism is not a rare disease and its clinical signs and symptoms deserve the attention of the clinically practising neurologist. Next to the classical cause of hypopituitarism mediated by tumours of the hypothalamo-pituitary region, a number of recent articles have highlighted the high frequency of central endocrine disturbances in patients with brain damage, i. e. not only after traumatic brain injury and subarachnoid haemorrhage but also as a consequence of the treatment of childhood brain tumours. This article provides an overview of the clinical symptomatology and pathophysiology of hypopituitarism as well as the current knowledge about neuroendocrine disturbances in the adult patient suffering from the above-mentioned disorders.