Your hypothalamus controls which hormones your pituitary gland releases by sending hormonal or electrical messages. For example, growth hormone acts on muscle and bone and increases the size of both. During childhood, insufficient growth hormone causes pituitary dwarfism; too much growth hormone causes gigantism. Too much in a mature body causes acromegaly. In acromegaly, facial features become rough and coarse; the voice deepens; and hand, foot,...

Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone in adults. As this program reveals, the name acromegaly comes from the Greek words for "extremities" and "enlargement" and reflects one of its most common symptoms - the abnormal growth of the hands and feet. The symptoms of acromegaly can vary and they develop gradually over time; therefore, a diagnosis of this condition may be difficult. Once recognized,...