General Aspects of Endocrine Dysfunction

Most endocrine diseases can be broadly categorized into two groups: functional disorders involving glandular dysfunction, and neoplastic disorders affecting endocrine organs. However, there is considerable overlap, as some conditions exhibit features of both categories. Dysfunction typically arises from either abnormal hormone production or altered tissue responsiveness to hormones. The underlying causes of endocrine dysfunction are diverse and will be explored in more detail later. Neoplastic disorders may result in hormone excess when the tumor tissue is hormonally active, or in hormone deficiency due to mass effect and subsequent suppression of normal gland function.

Illustration: Basic Pathogenetic Principles of endocrine diseases. Created in https://BioRender.com