Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The ACTH test (also called the cosyntropin, tetracosactide, or Synacthen test) is a medical test usually requested and interpreted by endocrinologists to assess the functioning of the adrenal glands' stress response by measuring the adrenal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; corticotropin) or another corticotropic agent such as tetracosactide (cosyntropin, tetracosactrin; Synacthen ...
Low-dose and high-dose variations of the test exist. [4] The test is given at low (usually 1–2 mg) and high (8 mg) doses of dexamethasone, and the levels of cortisol are measured to obtain the results. [5] A low dose of dexamethasone suppresses cortisol in individuals with no pathology in endogenous cortisol production.
Proper function of thyrotropic feedback control is indispensable for growth, differentiation, reproduction and intelligence. Very few animals (e.g. axolotls and sloths ) have impaired thyroid homeostasis that exhibits a very low set-point that is assumed to underlie the metabolic and ontogenetic anomalies of these animals.
Evocative/suppression testing refers to a class of tests performed where one substance is measured both before and after the administration of another substance to determine if the levels are stimulated ("evocative") or suppressed.
Schematic of the HPA axis (CRH, corticotropin-releasing hormone; ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone) Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis or HTPA axis) is a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions among three components: the hypothalamus (a part of the brain located below the thalamus), the pituitary gland (a ...
When compared to insulin tolerance testing [11] and the high-dose ACTH test, this test allows for a more accurate identification of patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency. [12] Blood chemistry tests may reveal mild hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, normal-to-high potassium levels, slight anemia, lymphocytosis, and eosinophilia. [2]
Beginning in the sympathetic nervous system, an external stimulus affects the adrenal medulla and causes a release of catecholamines. The sympathoadrenal system is a physiological connection between the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal medulla and is crucial in an organism's physiological response to outside stimuli. [1]
The adrenal cortex produces mineralocorticoids, which regulate salt and water balance within the body, glucocorticoids (including cortisol) which have a wide number of roles within the body, and androgens, hormones with testosterone-like function. [3] The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). [3]