Cushing's disease associated with an intrasellar gangliocytoma producing corticotrophin-releasing factor.

A 58-year-old woman had Cushing's disease with elevated plasma adrenocorticotrophin and an intrasellar tumor. Light microscopy showed that the tumor was a gangliocytoma containing immunoreactive corticotrophin-releasing factor accompanied by pituitary corticotroph hyperplasia. Ultrastructural examination identified an intimate association and desmosomal attachments between interdigitating cell processes of neurons and corticotrophs. It is suggested that Cushing's disease was due to the effect of corticotrophin-releasing factor on corticotrophs; this case represents a syndrome supporting the concept that, in some patients, Cushing's disease may have a hypothalamic origin.