The pituitary gland, which sits just below the brain, may be tiny in size, but its role in the human body is huge. Referred to as the “master gland,” it produces hormones that regulate growth, blood pressure, metabolism, sexual function, how we react to stress, and much more.
If a tumor forms in the pituitary gland, it can cause the secretion of excess hormones, which can lead to a wide range of problems, including depression, diabetes, frequent bone fractures, vision loss, and other issues.

While some pituitary tumors can be treated with medication or radiation therapy, many require surgery. In this video, Yale neurosurgeon Sacit Bulent Omay, MD talks more about Yale Medicine’s Pituitary Tumor Program, which uses minimally invasive treatment methods and is a referral center for complex cases.

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Minimally Invasive Approach to Treating Pituitary Tumors

Yale Medicine

Anyone who thinks of a migraine as “just a headache” has likely never had one, as the condition can be debilitating and painful. 

Migraine is a neurologic disorder that not only causes headaches, but often also a constellation of symptoms that can impact daily living, explains Jason Sico, MD, MHS, a Yale Medicine neurologist. The bottom line, Dr. Sico says, is to speak up if you are experiencing headache pain. “It’s not just in your head. And if you bring it up to a doctor who is dismissive, find someone else to talk to about it, because there are people who want to understand your pain and help treat it,” he adds.

Migraine | A Neurological Condition That's Not Just in Your Head

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While multiple sclerosis (MS) affects 350,000 Americans—the disease actually comes in many different forms. No two cases of MS, a disease that affects the central nervous system, are the same since nerves are affected in different ways and show a variety of symptoms. Contrary to some popular perception, MS is not always an unrelenting downward spiral. Indeed the disease has an unpredictable progression (some patients will gradually lose the ability to walk, while other patients will have flare-ups of the disease followed by periods of remission). For years, its root causes were completely unknown. But researchers – including Dr. David Hafler, chair of the Department of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine—have begun to identify the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the development and progression of MS. Their groundbreaking discoveries help patients to manage the condition and live full and healthy lives never before thought possible.

Multiple Sclerosis | Yale Medicine Explains

There are 120 different types of brain tumors. In this video, Anita Huttner, MD, assistant professor of clinical pathology at Yale Medicine, talks about the crucial role that pathologists play in identifying a patient’s specific type of brain tumor, so the patient can receive the most appropriate treatment. This detective work takes speed and highly specialized skill. It’s part of the unique, interdisciplinary approach for brain tumor treatment at Yale Medicine.

Brain Tumors | Yale Medicine Explains

A lot of people may assume that Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by slow memory loss and mental decline in older patients, is a normal part of aging. However, this is not the case. Alzheimer's is a medical condition with memory loss severe enough to interfere with everyday life. Over time, signs of mental decline worsen as damage to the brain’s nerve cells becomes more extensive. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which will be identified in more than three million Americans this year—most of them in their 70s and 80s. While the condition can be disorienting and emotionally difficult, many patients feel a sense of relief once they are formally diagnosed and learn about the gradual progression of the disease. With the right treatment and medication, patients can manage their symptoms and improve mental function. At Yale Medicine, our doctors are working on cutting-edge research to find new treatment options for Alzheimer's patients.

Diagnosing Alzheimer's with PET Scans | Yale Medicine Explains

Stroke is far more common than you might realize, affecting more than 795,000 people in the U.S. every year. It is a leading cause of death and long-term disability. Yet until now, treatment options have been limited, despite the prevalence and severity of stroke. Not so long ago, doctors didn’t have much more to offer stroke victims than empathy, says Kevin Sheth, MD, Division Chief of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology. “There wasn’t much you could do.” But that is changing. Recent breakthroughs offer new hope to patients and families.

3 Critical Breakthroughs in Stroke Research at Yale

Stroke, which can be described as a "problem with the brain's plumbing," can cause symptoms ranging from barely noticeable to completely disabling, even fatal. Every second from the onset of stroke to treatment can make a difference, often between life and death. That’s why Yale Medicine strives to provide patients with immediate, state-of-the-art interventions and the full support of a comprehensive medical team to help manage their recovery.

The Signs of a Stroke | Yale Medicine Explains

The Gamma Knife is a noninvasive, incredibly precise tool for administering radiation, usually to brain and skull-base tumors, blood vessel abnormalities and cases of neuralgia. Doctors are able to meticulously focus the radiation, destroying tumors without harming nearby tissue in one of the body’s most sensitive spots—the brain. At Yale Medicine, we have the only Gamma Knife center in the state of Connecticut. The Yale Medicine Gamma Knife program sees a high volume of patients—about 350 annually—and has for many years. In this video, Veronica Chiang, MD, talks about gamma knife radiosurgery and how it can offer focused treatment for tumors that have spread to the brain.

Gamma Knife Surgery | Yale Medicine Explains

According to the National Parkinson's Foundation, over a million Americans live with Parkinson's disease. There is currently no cure for the disease, but there are medications and other treatments that can help. While a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is unquestionably upsetting, it’s important to remember that the disease can often be managed in ways that slow progression and many patients live for decades after an initial diagnosis

Parkinson's Disease | Yale Medicine Explains

What we know right now is that, on a chemical level, depression involves neurotransmitters, which can be thought of as the messengers that carry signals between brain cells, or neurons.    

“The current standard of care for the treatment of depression is based on what we call the ‘monoamine deficiency hypothesis,’ essentially presuming that one of three neurotransmitters in the brain is deficient or underactive,” says Rachel Katz, MD, a Yale Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry.   

But according to Dr. Katz, this is only part of the story. There are about 100 types of neurotransmitters overall, and billions of connections between neurons in each person’s brain.  
 
We have entered a new era of psychiatry, Dr. Katz adds. As we shift away from a single hypothesis about what causes depression, we are also learning more about the brain as a whole, in all of its complexities.

How Depression Affects The Brain | Yale Medicine Explains

Precision medicine - the concept of personalizing treatment to the individual patient - is used through immunobiology, oncology and many more specialties. But can those metrics be used to help families dealing with severe anxiety? Eli Lebowitz, PhD, and his team at the Yale Child Study Center are doing just that.

Treating Childhood Anxiety with Precision Medicine

Depression is one of the most common and most debilitating mental health disorders, affecting some 17 million adults in the US. It also continues to be a misunderstood, often hard-to-treat illness. Now, experts at Yale are studying Ketamine as a quick, effective treatment.

Ketamine and Depression | How it Works

For many years, parents and caregivers have reported something interesting: that young children on the autism spectrum could relate to and communicate through puppets more easily than with other people. Yale Child Study Center and the Jim Henson Foundation teamed up to study this connection.

Autism and Puppets | Yale Research Shows Potential for Connection

Haad Khwaja plays video games, loves his mother’s cooking and takes brain surgery in his stride. He’s that kind of kid. A few years ago, he was at a festival in his hometown of Karachi, Pakistan, when he suddenly fell very ill and was rushed to the hospital. Tests revealed he had an extremely rare form of brain cancer. The family packed their bags and moved to America, where a team at Yale Medicine came up with an innovative treatment program using highly targeted radiation.

Brain Health