Adrenal Gland Hormones

Question 1

Where is the Adrenal Gland?

Answer 1

Top of the Kidneys

Question 2

What are the two layers of the Adrenal Gland?

Answer 2

Inner Adrenal Medulla
Outer Adrenal Cortex

Question 3

What is the Adrenal Gland associated with?

Answer 3

The Stress Response

Question 4

What type of hormones does the Adrenal Medulla control?

Answer 4

Short term stress response hormones (fight or flight)
Epinephrine/Norepinephrine
Stress = increase in metabolism

Question 5

What causes the AM to release Epi/Norepi?

Answer 5

Neurons in the SNS carry a signal from the HP, the AM then releases Epi/Norepi

Question 6

What do Epinephrine and Norepinephrine do to the body? IISDF

Answer 6

Increases Breathing Rate
Increases Blood Flow to the Heart, Muscles and Extremities
Stimulates the conversion of Glycogen to Glucose
Dilation of the pupils
It’s under NS control so this happens really fast

Question 7

Epi/Norepi Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 7

The HP sends RH to the AM gland to release Epi/Norepi
Epi/Norepi targets the body - enacting the stress response
Increase in Breathing Rate
Increase in Blood Flow to the Heart, Muscles and Extremities
Stimulates the conversion of Glycogen to Glucose
Dilation of the pupils
When the stress is over the HP stops releasing RH

Question 8

What type of Hormones does the Adrenal Cortex control?

Answer 8

Long Term stress response hormones

Question 9

What does the AC do on a long term basis?

Answer 9

It produces Glucocorticoids similar to cortisone and Mineralcorticoids to regulate salt water & balance

Question 10

What is the most abundant Glucocorticoid?

Answer 10

Cortisol - it’s a steroid hormone made from cholesterol that promotes the breakdown of muscle proteins to amino acids, the liver then breaks down the amino acids into glucose

Cortisol is also a Natural Anti-Inflammatory

Question 11

Cortisol Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 11

The HP sends a signal to the Pituitary gland to release ACTH
ACTH targets the AC which then releases Cortisol
Cortisol then targets the muscles proteins so they break down into amino acids - which the liver then breaks down into glucose

Question 12

What can long term stress do to the body?

Answer 12

It can:
Damage the heart
Impair thinking
Raise Blood Pressure
Lead to Diabetes
Increase susceptibility to disease

Question 13

What is Aldosterone? What does it do?

Answer 13

A principal Mineralcorticoid that causes to kidneys to reabsorb Na ions and excrete K ions
It stimulates the distal and collecting tubules of the kidneys to increase the re-absorption of Na into the blood stream
This increases the solute (salt) concentration of the blood, which then draws in more water from the nephrons, raising the BP

Question 14

What happens if the Adrenal Cortex stops working?

Answer 14

It can cause Addison’s Disease
Weight Loss
Weakness
Electrolyte Imbalance
It would need treatment ASAP

Question 15

What happens when the AC hypersecretes Cortisol?

Answer 15

Cushing Syndrome
The trunk and face become round; too much
Aldosterone results in fluid retention

Question 16

Aldosterone Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 16

The HP sends RH signal to the Pituitary Gland to release ACTH
ACTH targets the Adrenal Cortex - which causes it to release Aldosterone
Which then causes the Kidneys to reabsorb Na and excrete K, which results in the tubules absorbing Na into the bloodstream whcih increases the solute con. in the blood, which in turn increases BP
The HP detects this and stops releasing RH