Hypophysial symptoms may be caused by several pathologic states, and consequently may present diagnostic difficulties. Such symptoms may arise from causes within or without the hypophysis. In the latter case, hydrocephalus may cause disturbances of the function of the hypophysis itself, with or without evidences of pressure on the olfactory and optic nerves, or may cause cerebellar symptoms, or disordered function of the pons, in all of which conditions structural changes in the sella turcica may or may not be present. What causes the hypophysial symptoms, and how differentiate cases in which the primary lesion is in the region of the hypophysis or is distant from this organ?
The cases bearing on this problem may be divided into: (1) those in which there is idiopathic hydrocephalus causing cystlike deformity of the third ventricle or distention elsewhere, and secondary to this, the symptoms of pressure in the region of the sella