This condition may occur because of disease in the pituitary or hypothalamus (a part of the brain that contains hormones that control the pituitary gland). When there is low or no production of all the pituitary hormones, the condition is called panhypopituitarism. This condition may affect either children or adults. The pituitary gland sends signals to other glands (eg, thyroid gland) to produce hormones (eg, thyroid hormone).