Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are commonly associated with visual disturbances and endocrine abnormalities; however, many patients also experience cognitive deficits, particularly in memory, attention, and executive function, which significantly affect quality of life. Despite increasing recognition of this burden, the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment remain unclear. Traditionally, cognitive changes have been attributed to tumor mass effects or direct compression of surrounding structures. Emerging evidence, however, implicates hormonal dysregulation and the gut–brain axis, suggesting that intestinal microbiota may influence cognition through inflammatory, metabolic, and endocrine pathways.
To bridge this gap, researchers from Kunming Medical University, led by Dr. Xingli Deng,…