Adrenal Gland

Question 1

Which division of the nervous system is the adrenal gland part of?

Answer 1

The autonomic nervous system.

Question 2

Is the signal to the adrenal gland to release noradrenaline and adrenaline sympathetic or parasympathetic?

Answer 2

Sympathetic

Question 3

What cells of the adrenal medulla produce, store and secrete catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline?

Answer 3

Chromaffin cells.

Question 4

List the three layers of the adrenal cortex.

Answer 4

Zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata and zona reticularis.

Question 5

What layer of the adrenal cortex secretes the mineralocorticoid aldosterone?

Answer 5

Zona glomerulosa

Question 6

Which layer of the adrenal cortex secrete the glucocorticoid cortisol?

Answer 6

Zona fasciculata

Question 7

Which layer of the renal cortex secretes sex steroids (particularly androgens)?

Answer 7

Zona reticularis

Question 8

What is the function of androstenedione and dehydroeplandrosterone (DHEA)?

Answer 8

Foetal sex determination and development of sex organs.

Question 9

What is Conn syndrome?

Answer 9

Excessive aldosterone secretion causing increase sodium and water retention, loss of potassium and hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias.

Question 10

Describe the secretion patterns of cortisol.

Answer 10

Pulsatile and circadian- greatest in the morning before waking.

Question 11

The secretion of what hormones in a pulsatile manner causes pulsatile secretion of cortisol?

Answer 11

CRH and ACTH.

Question 12

Cortisol circulates in plasma bound to?

Answer 12

Corticoid-steroid binding globulin.

Question 13

What is the effect of cortisol on muscle?

Answer 13

Decreased protein synthesis and glucose uptake- muscle are made to use own stored energy, increased protein degradation.

Question 14

What is the effect of cortisol on the lover?

Answer 14

Increased gluconeogenesis and blood glucose levels.

Question 15

What are the effects of cortisol on adipose tissue?

Answer 15

Increased lipolysis.

Question 16

What is released during short-term stress?

Answer 16

Adrenaline and noradrenaline

Question 17

Which of cortisol and adrenaline is more fast-acting and why?

Answer 17

Adrenaline, as its secretions is sympathetically innervated. The release of cortisol is hormonal.

Question 18

Is aldosterone released during chronic, prolonged or short-term stress?

Answer 18

Prolonged.

Question 19

How can prolonged stress cause hypertension?

Answer 19

Increase sodium and water retention, leading to increased blood volume.

Question 20

Which molecules causes immune suppression?

Answer 20

Cortisol (glucocorticoid).

Question 21

State the pathway leading to cortisol secretion.

Answer 21

Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) is released by the hypothalamus and acts of the anterior pituitary to release ACTH. ACTH acts on the adrenal cortex to release glucocorticoids.

Question 22

What is Cushing’s syndrome?

Answer 22

Adrenal hyper-function, causing excessive cortisol secretion.

Question 23

What is primary Cushing’s syndrome?

Answer 23

Failure of the adrenal gland; low ACTH but high cortisol.

Question 24

What are the symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome?

Answer 24

Weight gain, fat deposition on trunk and face, insulin resistance, protein wasting, calcium disorders, increased MSH skin pigmentation.

Question 25

What is Addison’s disease?

Answer 25

Adrenal hypofunction; reduced cortisol.

Question 26

What are the symptoms of Addison’s disease?

Answer 26

weakness, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss.