Aspects of medical therapy of neuroendocrine disorders

Treatment of pituitary diseases bas changed considerably over the last 35 years. Apart from the introduction of transspbenoidal surgery the development of dopaminergic drugs, as well as of the somatostatin analog octreotide have been major steps forward towards the control of the growth and hormonal byperproduction by pituitary adenomas. The improved understanding of the interaction between hormones and their receptors, the knowledge about hypothalamic releasing factors and hormones, as well as the development of RIA- and ELISA techniques for the measurement of circulating hormone and growth factor levels have also contributed to this progress in treatment. This thesis is dealing with some aspects of the medical treatment of neuroendocrine disorders