Your pituitary gland is responsible for relaying messages from your hypothalamus to your endocrine glands and also secreting hormones that control growth and development.

The pituitary gland plays an important role in regulating your sexuality and fertility. It synthesizes and releases a broad range of hormones that communicate signals from your brain to your body. Disease and time can break down this communication, according to a July 2008 review in "Aging Research Review."

The pituitary gland is a tiny gland located at the base of the brain. It is about the size of a pea and is located between the optic nerves. The pituitary gland is sometimes called the "master gland" because it controls hormone functions.

No longer than a pea, the pituitary gland plays a critical role in the endocrine system, overseeing the function of all the other glands. The pituitary gland is situated beside the hypothalamus area of the brain and attached by nerve fibers.