The Endocrine System Flashcards
What does the endocrine system consist of?
The endocrine system consists of various glands which produce hormones
What is the key gland in the endocrine system? What does this key gland control within the endocrine system?
The key gland is the pituitary gland which controls the release of hormones from all the other endocrine glands
What is the pituitary gland often referred to?
The pituitary gland is often referred to as the master gland
Where is the pituitary gland located?
The pituitary gland is located in the brain
What occurs once hormones are secreted from glands?
When hormones are secreted into the bloodstream they affect certain cells in the body that have receptors for that particular hormone
The thyroid is an endocrine gland. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of this hormone?
The main hormone released from the thyroid is called thyroxine.
Thyroxine regulates the body’s metabolic rate (increases heart rate and metabolic rates)
The adrenal medulla is an endocrine system. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of this hormone?
The main hormone released is adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Adrenaline and noradrenaline results in the flight or fight response. An increased heart rate and blood flow to brain and muscles + a release of stored glucose and fats for use in flight or fight response
The testes are an endocrine gland. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of the hormone?
The main hormones released are androgen and testosterone.
These hormones are involved in the development of male secondary sexual characteristics at puberty. It promotes muscle mass and muscle growth
The adrenal cortex is an endocrine gland. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of the hormone?
The main hormones released are glucocorticoids such as cortisone, cortisol and corticosterone
These hormones result in a further release of stored glucose and fats for energy expenditure. The immune system and the inflammatory response is suppressed.
The ovaries are an endocrine gland. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of this hormone?
The main hormone released is oestrogen.
This hormone regulates the female reproductive system, menstrual cycle and muscle growth
The pineal is an endocrine gland. What is the main hormone released and what are the effects of this hormone?
The main hormone released is melatonin.
This hormone results in the biological rhythms in the body. For example the sleep wake cycle
What is the middle part of the adrenal gland called? What hormone does it produce?
The middle part of the adrenal gland is called the adrenal medulla.
It produces the hormone adrenaline and neurotransmitters
What does the nervous and endocrine system work together to reproduce?
The flight or fight response
When is the flight or fight response triggered?
When people are threatened by an immediate danger the endocrine and nervous system work to produce the faster response
What happens when someone is faced with a flight or fight situation (a stressful situation)?
When a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch in the autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system changes from its normal resting state (the parasympathetic state) to be psychologically aroused, the sympathetic state.
The stress hormone adrenaline is released from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream
The adrenaline triggers physiological changes in the body (e.g increased heart rate) which creates the physiological arousal necessary for the flight or fight response
Finally once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to its resting state
