12 - Post-Traumatic Hypopituitarism After Brain Injury | Joanna Lane

What if the effects of a head injury didn’t become apparent until months, or even years, later?

Today, we speak with Joanna Lane, founder of the Christopher Lane Trust, about post-traumatic hypopituitarism, a condition that can occur following a traumatic brain injury.

The pituitary gland may be tiny, but it plays an extraordinary role in regulating hormones throughout the body.

When its function is affected following a head injury, the consequences can be wide-ranging, from fatigue, brain fog and changes in mood to hormonal, sexual and reproductive problems.

For Joanna, raising awareness of this connection is deeply personal.

Following the death of her son Christopher by suicide, Joanna and her family began exploring whether a serious head injury he had sustained as a child could have contributed to problems he experienced later in life.

Today, through the Christopher Lane Trust, Joanna is working to ensure that more patients, families and healthcare professionals understand the potential connection between head injury and pituitary dysfunction.

As Joanna puts it so powerfully in our conversation:

“Don’t forget the pituitary.”

Please note: this episode contains discussion of suicide and its impact on families.

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Edited with finesse by Mike at Making Digital Real