Disturbance of Pituitary-Adrenal Interrelationships in Benign Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri)

Six patients with benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) showed a disturbance of pituitary-adrenal interrelationships. All 6 patients when given metyrapone failed to show the expected increase in urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS). When 2 of these 6 patients were given exogenous corticotropin a normal adrenal response was obtained. Three of these patients were also studied during remission of their disease and showed a normal increase in urinary 17-OHCS when given metyrapone. It seems probable that in benign intracranial hypertension there is a defect in the synthesis or release of endogenous corticotropin.