The Ageing Endocrine System Flashcards
PITUITARY GLAND:
Do the Anterior and Posterior pituitary glands produce their own hormones?
What are all the hormones produced?
What’s GH also known as?
What does GH do?
How does GH change after puberty? What does this lead to? What is this called?
- • Anterior pituitary produces its own hormones
• Posterior pituitary stores hormones made in the hypothalamus - “GOAT FLAP” - GH, Oxytocin, ADH, TSH, FSH, LH, ACTH, Prolactin
- Somatotropin
- • Stimulates growth, cell division and regeneration
and is involved in metabolism
• Stimulates IGF-1 release from Liver - ↓GH after puberty = ↓IGF-1 = ↓Muscle mass and bone density - This is called SOMATOPAUSE
THYROID GLAND:
How does it change with age?
How does Hypothyroidism present in the elderly?
How does Hyperthyroidism present in the elderly?
What is it normally mistaken for in the elderly?
Why is an examination of the thyroid difficult in the elderly?
- Reduces in size
o ↓TSH, T3
o T4 remains unchanged
o ↑Thyroid antibodies - Cerebellar dysfunction, Carpal tunnel syndrome and Neuropathies
- Cardiac complications (e.g. AF, Angina, HF) occur more frequently
- Normal ageing
- It may be shrunken and patient may have cervical/thoracic kyphosis
ADRENAL GLAND:
How does Cortisol change with age?
→ What is this implicated with? Give examples
How does DHEA change with age?
- ↑Cortisol with age
→ Age-related conditions e.g. Cognitive impairment, CVD - ↓DHEA with age
PANCREAS:
How does it change with age?
How does Insulin resistance change with age?
→ What does this increase the prevalence of?
What are the 2 types of T2 Diabetes complications?
- ↓Size, B-cell function
- ↑Peripheral insulin resistance
→ T2 Diabetes - • Microvascular - Retinopathy, Nephropathy, Neuropathy
• Macrovascular - Stroke, CVD, PVD
OVERALL:
What hormones are increased with age?
What hormones remain unchanged with age?
What hormones are decreased with age?
- • Cortisol
• PTH - T4
- • GH • FSH • LH • TSH • T3
