Quality of life and cognitive function in patients with pituitary insufficiency.

This review is concerned with the psychosocial functioning and the quality of life in patients with pituitary insufficiency who are receiving conventional hormone replacement therapy. The possible negative effects of pituitary surgery, treatment with irradiation, and suboptimal replacement regimens with hormones other than growth hormone on mood, behaviour and cognitive functioning are discussed. The influence of growth hormone deficiency per se, and the outcome of growth hormone therapy in adult patients are addressed in detail. A possible mechanism for a direct effect of growth hormone on the brain is presented.