Pickardt-syndrome (or Pickardt-Fahlbusch-Syndrome) denotes a rare form of tertiary hypothyroidism that is caused by interruption of the portal veins connecting hypothalamus and pituitary, e.g. due to tumors compressing the infundibulum. Hypothyroidism is the disease state caused by insufficient thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. ... The portal vein is a major vein in the human body draining blood from the digestive system and its associated glands. ... In the anatomy of mammals, the hypothalamus is a region of the brain located below the thalamus, forming the major portion of the ventral region of the diencephalon and functioning to regulate certain metabolic processes and other autonomic activities. ... Located at the base of the skull, the pituitary gland is protected by a bony structure called the sella turcica. ... See the article about cancer for the main article about malignant tumors. ...

Other endocrine disorders that may be associated with Pickardt syndrome are suprasellar failures like secondary hypogonadism and functional hyperprolactinemia. The endocrine system is a control system of ductless endocrine glands that secrete chemical messengers called hormones that circulate within the body via the bloodstream to affect distant organs. ... Hypogonadism is a medical term for a defect of the reproductive system which results in lack of function of the gonads (ovaries or testes). ... Prolactin is a hormone secreted by lactotropes in the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary gland) which is made up of 199 amino acids with a molecular weight of about 23,000 daltons. ...