9. Neuroendocrine Disorders Following an Acquired Brain Injury

Neuroendocrine disorders, primarily hypopituitarism, was first diagnosed by the German researcher Cyran in 1918 (Benvenga, 2005; Lieberman et al., 2001; Makulski et al., 2008). Until recently damage to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland following trauma was often not diagnosed until the post mortem examination (Yuan & Wade, 1991). Recent research indicates neuroendocrine disorders vary post traumatic brain injury (TBI) (Sandel et al., 2007) and what was once thought to be a rare occurrence is now increasingly diagnosed (Bondanelli et al., 2005; Ghigo et al., 2005; Benvenga, 2005). In the early 1950’s, the incidence of hypopituitarism post injury was thought to be 1%; however, the rate has recently been quoted as between 20 and 70% (Sirois, 2009, Makulski et al., 2008).