Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

The Role of Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor in Disease Adrenergic receptors are a class of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) which are activated by catecholamines in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (1-AR) are systematic vasoconstrictors: their activation constricts blood vessels by the contraction of vascular smooth muscle. These transmembrane receptors are activated by the binding of epinephrine or norepinephrine, which creates intracellular signals via…

common endocrine disorder is known as adrenal insufficiency. This is where the adrenal gland releases too little of cortisol or aldosterone. Addison’s disease is a type of adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms likely include fatigue, upset stomach, dehydration, and skin changes. Cushing’s Disease is another endocrine issue. It is caused by an overactive adrenal gland. Some symptoms include obesity and increased thirst. It is common in children who take corticosteroids. Hyperthyroidism is another…

synthesized by the anterior pituitary gland and its release is stimulated by the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) which stimulates the release of corticosteroids (e.g. cortisol) from the adrenal glands. ACTH plays a major role as response to any biological stress in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis…

skin' (Nieman and Chanco Turner, 2006). Although the adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system, they also works alongside the nervous system to protect the body. A physiological change that Addison's disease can have on the nervous system is orthostatic hypotension…

You can feel a rush of energy go through your body. Your hands start to shake, you are alert, the energy you have is through the roof. It’s called adrenaline. The hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, that gives you that extreme rush of energy that makes you feel like you can do almost anything. Most of the cases, when you get an adrenaline rush, are in fight or flight situations. The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in…

The Controversy behind Endocrine Disruptors Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can cause an individual’s endocrine, neurological or immune system to not function properly. Many chemicals have been deemed endocrine disruptors but are still used heavily today. They can be seen in things such as, plastics, cosmetics and pesticides among other products. Whether or not the benefits that using certain compounds affords us is worth the damage they can potentially cause is the basis for the…

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones which are produced predominantly in response to stress in the adrenal gland (Davis & Sandman 2010; Korgun et al. 2012). The physiological effects of glucocorticoids occur when the hormone are bind to, and mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (Erhuma 2012). It plays a wide range of vital physiological roles that are necessary for healthy implantation and pregnancy processes (Korgun et al. 2012). As glucocorticoids are critical in the regulation of the…

I froze in horror as I read the Facebook message that was sent to me. He’s gone. My heart fell to my gut. I felt a sharp pain down my spine. My head started throbbing- I wanted to throw up. My body trembled, and my hands turned to ice. I started looking around the room to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I was trying to wake myself up from a nightmare that was my reality. According to Sapolsky, a neuroscientist of great renown, a “Stressor” is an event in the outside world that knocks you out of…

Glucocorticoid are primarily used therapeutically as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agent. They are secreted from the adrenal cortex of the adrenal gland in a circadian manner or in response to stress perceived by the brain. They are able to modulate physiological homeostasis and coordinate those adaptive responses to stressors. An imbalance in glucocorticoid levels, specifically chronic glucocorticoid has been associated with a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, specifically…

You’re hiking through the woods when all of a sudden you hear a stick crack. You look cautiously around for the hazard, but you see no one. Your heart starts racing. You begin to sweat. Your mouth dries and you feel butterflies in your stomach. Your hair stands on end. You feel a surge of energy and in a split second you find yourself running away from the noise. Whether you’re aware of it or not, your body just went through a response known as the fight or flight response also known as the…