The Endocrine System

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The Endocrine System

• By Julie Jenna

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Overall Function

• Comprised of ductless glands that secrete
  hormones
• Hormones are chemical messengers that transfer
  information from one set of cells to another in
  order to coordinate the functions of body.
• Steroids
• Peptides
• Amines

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Glands

• Hypothalamus
• Center part of brain
• Regulates Metabolism body temperature
• Somewhat controls pituitary gland with its
  releasing hormone
• Pituitary
• Base of brain, under the Hypothalamus (pea sized)
• Master Gland it produces hormones that cause
  the other glands to function properly
• Split into the 2 lobes (anterior posterior)

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Glands Contd

• Thyroid
• Front part of neck
• Regulates metabolism, bone growth nervous
  system development in children
• Helps maintain normal blood pressure, heart rate,
  digestive patterns, muscle tone, and reproductive
  function
• Parathyroid
• 2 pairs embedded in the Thyroid
• Regulates calcium levels in the blood as well as
  metabolism

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Glands Contd

• Adrenal
• Triangle shaped gland located stop each kidney
• 2 main parts
• Adrenal Cortex outside of gland-corticosteroids
  (control metabolism, balance of body salt and
  water levels, and have an immune function)
• Adrenal Medulla inside of gland-catecholamine
  (control adrenaline, heart rate, blood pressure,
  and cope with stress

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Glands Contd

• Reproductive
• Sex-hormones
• Male testes testosterone
• Female ovaries estrogen progesterone
• Pineal
• Middle of brain
• Deals with the hormone Melatonin in order to
  regulate wake/sleep cycle

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Glands Contd

• Pancreas
• Behind the stomach, back of abdomen
• Hormonal functions aids digestion
• 2 parts
• Exocrine pancreas - secretes digestive enzymes
• Endocrine pancreas - insulin glucagons which
  regulate glucose levels in blood

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Glands Contd

• Kidney
• Lower abdomen, towards the back
• Considered part of the endocrine system because
  they have some hormonal interactions with the
  adrenal glands the rest of the body
• Thymus
• Upper chest behind the breastbone
• 2 lobes which join in front of the trachea
• Important immune function

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Diabetes

• Body does not produce or properly use insulin
• Hormone used to convert sugar, starches, etc into
  energy needed for daily life
• Two types of tests
• Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG)
• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

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Pre-Diabetes

• Blood Glucose Levels are higher than normal but
  not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
• No symptoms
• Treatment
• Eat a healthy diet
• Lose weight (5-10)
• Exercise

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Type 1 Diabetes

• Body does not produce insulin
• Children young adults

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Type 1 Diabetes Contd

• Symptoms
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Treatment
• Insulin injections
• No oral medication

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Type 2 Diabetes

• Often hereditary
• Obesity is a major factor
• Most common
• Adult-onset
• Body doesnt produce enough insulin or islet
  cells ignore the insulin

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Type 2 Diabetes Contd

• Symptoms
• Same as Type 1
• Headaches
• Slow healing cuts or sores
• Frequent yeast infections
• Itching
• Numbness/tingling in hands feet
• Dark skin changes in neck, armpit, groin
• Treatments
• Oral Medication
• Insulin shots may have to be prescribed

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Gestational Diabetes

• Occurs only during pregnancy
• Placenta produces hormones which impair the
  action of insulin in the tissues
• When blood sugar levels rise too high, it can
  effect the growth development of the baby
• No noticeable signs or symptoms but may cause
  increased thirst urination
• A doctor will address it

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Gestational Diabetes Contd

• Treatments
• Diet
• Exercise
• Medication
• Insulin injections
• Oral
• Blood Sugar monitoring (4-5 times a day)
• Draw blood from tip of finger place on test
  strip put into glucose meter

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Advancements in Diabetes Research

• Comfort Curve strip by Accu-Check   
• One Touch UltraSmart Meter
• Stem Cell Research
• Discovery of 6 new genes associated with the
  onset of type 2 diabetes
• Europe, EURODIA EUGENE2 projects
• Reimplantation
• Implantable insulin pump  
•  

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Endocrine Disorders Cushings Syndrome

• Exogenous Endogenous
• Causes too much cortisol in the blood for an
  extended period of time
• Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the
  adrenal glands (located above the kidneys)
• In normal amounts, it helps the body convert fat
  to energy, maintain immune system function,
  maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular
  function, and respond to stress

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Cushings Syndrome Contd

• Causes continued
• Exogenous-Occurs in patients taking cortisol-like
  medications. These meds are usually used to treat
  inflamfamatory disorders like asthma. It is
  temporary and goes away when the patient finishes
  the course of medication
• Endogenous- Much rarer, caused by tumor(s) on the
  adrenal glands or the pituitary gland (at the
  base of the brain). These tumors produce too much
  cortisol

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Cushings Syndrome Contd

• Effects
• Exogenous Cushings will go away but if a person
  starts taking medications again for an issue like
  asthma, for example, it can start up again and
  thus medications must be taken
• Endogenous With surgery, the bodys production
  of ACTH drops two levels below normal. As
  compensation, patients take a synthetic form or
  cortisol. Some have to take this for 1-2 years
  while others must be on it for life.

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Cushings Syndrome Contd

• Symptoms
• Weight Gain (especially in the upper body)
• High blood sugar (diabetes)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Thin bones (osteoporosis)
• Muscle Loss
• Purple/red stretch marks usually over the abdomen
  and under the arms)
• Too much facial hair in women
• Poor height growth and obesity in children
• Weakness
• Easily-bruised, fragile skin
• Reduced sex drive
• Inability to think clearly/depression

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Cushings Syndrome Contd

• Treatments Depends on the cause
• Exogenous When the patient slows down and
  eventually stops taking the cortisol-like
  medications, Cushings syndrome will go away
• Endogenous The first approach is usually to
  have surgery which will remove the tumor(s). If
  this isnt successful, patients can undergo
  radiation therapy, or drugs to lower cortisol
  production, or the removal of the adrenal glands

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Endocrine Disorders Addisons Disease

• AKA Primary Adrenal Insufficiency
• Causes The adrenal glands (located at the top of
  each kidney) produce and insufficient amount of
  steroid hormones, despite having the right amount
  of ACTH, a hormone that tells the adrenal glands
  to release steroids
• Effects Treatments usually have to be continued
  for life.. As long as a person continues their
  dosage schedule, they can maintain a normal
  lifestyle.

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Addisons Contd

• Symptoms
• Fatigue/Weakness
• Loss of Appetite
• Gastrointestinal problems (nausea, vomiting, etc)
• Darkening of the skin on the face, neck and back
  of hands
• Low blood pressure
• A craving for salt (due to salt loss)
• Dehydration
• Sudden penetrating pain in the lower back,
  abdomen, or legs

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Addisons Contd

• Treatments
• Replacing or substituting the hormones that the
  adrenal glands are not making.
• Medication can be taken orally
• Standard therapy included intravenous injections
  of hydrocortisone, saline (salt water), and
  dextrose (sugar)

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Citations

• http//www.hormone.org/Resources/Adrenal/loader.cf
  m?csModulesecurity/getfilepageid874
• http//www.hormone.org/endocrine_system_diseases.c
  fm
• http//www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/ad
  dison.htmsymptoms
• http//www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/c
  ushings.htmtreatment
• http//www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp
• http//www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-1
  diabetes/DS00329/DSECTIONsymptoms
• http//www.endocrineweb.com/diabetes/1diabetes.htm
  l
• http//health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/ty
  pe-2-diabetes/overview.html
• http//www.mayoclinic.com/health/gestational-diabe
  tes/DS00316/DSECTIONtreatments-and-drugs
• http//www.eubusiness.com/Health/diabetes-research
  -eu.1/

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More Citations

• http//kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/_bfs_ESmoviesource.
  html
• http//www.med.howard.edu/physio.biophys/MILLIS20
  HOME20PAGE_files/endocrine20lecture.ppt293,22,f
  eedbackloops/
• http//www.iwu.edu/bkauth/330/330-5.PPT256,1,THE
  endocrinesystem
• www.barstow.edu/faculty/rstinson/Human20Anatomy/E
  ndocrine20System.pdf
• www.kidskonnect.com/content/view/337/27/
• www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBook
  ENDOCR.html
• www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/online/serve.cg
  i/squizzes/biology/endo.html?question_hide
• www.hormone.org/endo101