Gigantism is abnormally large growth during childhood caused by excess growth ho

Question

Gigantism is abnormally large growth during childhood caused by excess growth hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

Robert Wadlow, born on February 22, 1918, weighed a normal eight pounds, six ounces. However, by the time Robert reached the age of six months old, he weighed 30 pounds (Hamilton, 1993). Within only a year, his weight rose to 62 pounds, more than double the normal weight of a baby at 18 months. Aside from his weight, Robert continued to grow at an astounding rate, reaching six feet, two inches and 195 pounds by the time he was eight years old. Robert's unique size was attributed to an over active pituitary gland, which produced much higher than normal levels of growth hormone. At the time of his death in July 1940 at the age of 22, Robert had reached a height of 8 feet 11.1 inches and weighed 485 pounds (Hamilton, 1993).

Answer the following assignment questions:

How does growth hormone regulate various body functions in adults, and what could cause the excess secretion of growth hormone?
Discuss the relationship between growth hormone and insulin, and are there complications associated with their interaction?
Why is gigantism usually more difficult to treat than dwarfism?
Give examples of two other hormones secreted by the pituitary, and briefly describe how they specifically affect other organ systems of the body?
Some athletes have resorted to the illegal use of anabolic steroids to increase strength and muscle size. How are anabolic steroids different from growth hormone? Briefly explain your answer.

Explanation / Answer

Growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland which stimulates growth in childhood and for maintaining muscle mass as well as bone mass in adults. 1. Two hypothalamic hormones regulate growth hormone (GH) secretions. They are i) Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) with a stimulatory action at the level of gene transcription and ii) Somatostatin (SST) with an inhibitory effect on the GH secretion from the pituitary gland.       Excess secretion of the hormone is caused usually by the secretory pituitary gland tumor, which secretes excess of the hormone leading to hyposecretion. 2. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor - I (IGF-I) regulate body fat and lipoprotein metabolism. Growth homone shows direct effects on fat cells by stimulating them to breakd down triglyceride and supresses their ability to take up and accumulate ciculating lipids. Whereas, Insulin-like growth factor -I (IGF-I), shows indirect effects stimulating proliferation of chondrocytes (cartilage cells), resulting in bone growth. 3. Treating gigantism is more difficult than dwarfism because gigantism is caused due to the pituitary tumors which can only removed by surgery or radiation. Whereas the dwarfism is caused due to the insufficient growth hormone which can normalized with the regular adiminstration of synthetic hormones. 4. Two hormones of pituitary gland: Thyroid -stimulating hormone (TSH) - It stimulates the thyroid gland, which regulates the body,s metabolism, energy, growth, and nervous system activity. This hormone is also vital to our survival. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) - It regulates water balance. The hyposecretion and hypersecretion of this hormones effects the kidneys. 5. The growth hormone and anabolic steriods are similar in growth and development bu differ in the hypersecretion of the hormones. The hypersecretion of the anabolic steriods leads to adverse effects causing impotence, clotting disorders, nausea and vomiting , liver damage, raised cholesterol levels etc.. Whereas the hypersecretion of growth hormone leads to gigantism in childern and acromegaly in adults.

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