Hormones, Nervous System Functions, and Endocrine Disorders
Hormones and Glandular Functions
Main Glands and Hormones:
- Hypothalamus: Releasing factors and inhibitors act on the pituitary, enabling hormone production.
- Pituitary:
- Oxytocin: Stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk production in the breast.
- Growth Hormone: Stimulates bone growth.
- Thyroid:
- Thyroid Hormone: Regulates metabolism.
- Calcitonin: Decreases blood calcium levels by promoting bone deposition.
- Adrenal Glands/Pancreas:
- Adrenaline: Prepares the body for intense muscle activity and danger.
- Insulin: Decreases blood glucose levels.
- Glucagon: Increases blood glucose levels.
- Testosterone/Estrogens: Involved in the development of sexual organs and characteristics.
- Progesterone: Ovarian hormone that prepares and regulates the body for pregnancy.
Nervous System Functioning
Voluntary Act: The response is voluntary and conscious. The brain elaborates the response. The stimulus is collected by sensory nerves, the brain sends an impulse, and the motor nerve sends the response to effectors.
Reflexes: The response to a stimulus in a reflex action is involuntary. The nerve center controlling the response is the spinal cord. It is carried out by the reflex arc: receptors, sensory neuron, association neuron, motor neuron, and effector.
Hormonal Functioning: Hormones act in small quantities and are not eliminated after performing their function. Endocrine glands continuously secrete hormones.
Feedback Patterns
Negative Feedback: Stimulus-hypothalamus-pituitary gland-hormone-organ-response (high levels in the blood).
Synapses
Synaptic Transmission: Presynaptic neuron-axon-button-synaptic space-postsynaptic neuron (involves synaptic vesicles, membrane receptors).
Endocrine System Diseases
In a healthy person, the body produces the necessary amount of hormones. When this quantity is above or below normal, it causes major disruptions, known as hyperfunction or hypofunction.
Diabetes
An incurable disease due to the absence of insulin.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Affects young people due to a lack of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Requires daily insulin injections.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Affects people over 40. Cells do not use insulin properly, leading to less glucose consumption and increased blood sugar, causing heart disease.
Thyroid Disease
Caused by impaired thyroid hormone production, either in excess or deficiency, known as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
- Hyperthyroidism: Leads to increased metabolism, nervousness, insomnia, irritability, hyperactivity, and weight loss. It is often accompanied by an increase in thyroid volume (goiter).
- Hypothyroidism: Slows down the most important functions of the body.
Pituitary Dwarfism and Gigantism
Problems in the production of growth hormone during the growth period.
Nervous System Patterns
Parasympathetic System: Pupil contraction, decreased heart rate, bronchial contraction, increased gastric mobility, inhibition of glucose release, and inhibition of adrenaline.
Sympathetic System: (The provided text ends here, so I cannot provide details on the sympathetic system.)