Clinical abnormalities due to chronic exposure to high level of cortisol. Caused by tumors of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Patients with Cushing’s disease often show cognitive changes, particularly memory impairment.
A condition in which the adrenal cortex produces too many corticosteroids [Described 1932. After Harvey Williams Cushing (1869-1939), surgeon, Boston, USA.]
Disorder in which excessive secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by the pituitary (due, e.g., to a tumor) causes increased secretion of hormones by the adrenal cortex, leading to fat deposition on the face, back, and chest; edema; high blood sugar levels; muscle weakness; and increased susceptibility to infection. Treatment involves removal of ACTH-secreting tissue in the pituitary or, if this is not possible, removal of the adrenal glands.