What effect does excessive hormone secretion of the pituitary gland have on the body?

Excessive hormone secretion of the pituitary gland can result in [A] Excessive growth in height. This condition, known as gigantism if it occurs during childhood or acromegaly if it manifests in adulthood, is primarily caused by overproduction of growth hormone (GH). In gigantism, the long bones continue to grow, leading to abnormally tall stature.

In acromegaly, where bone growth plates have closed, excessive GH primarily causes enlargement of soft tissues and bones in the face, hands, and feet, along with other systemic effects such as organ enlargement.

Unbalanced development or crookedness of the body (options b and c) typically isn’t a direct result of pituitary gland hypersecretion, although certain hormonal imbalances can contribute to skeletal abnormalities.

Therefore, the correct answer is [A] Excessive growth in height, reflecting the primary consequence of pituitary gland hypersecretion of growth hormone.