Adrenal gland disorder

Adrenal gland disorders (or diseases) are conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of the adrenal glands.[1] Adrenal disorders may cause hyperfunction or hypofunction, and may be congenital or acquired.

The adrenal gland produces hormones that affects growth, development and stress, and also helps to regulate kidney function. There are two parts of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. 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.[2] The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline).[2] Disorders of the adrenal gland may affect the production of one or more of these hormones.

Tumors of the adrenal gland

  • Adrenal adenoma, a benign tumor of the adrenal gland which may result in overproduction of one or more adrenal hormones, or may be inactive.
  • Adrenocortical carcinoma, cancer of the adrenal cortex
  • Adrenal incidentaloma, an adrenal tumor (of any type) discovered accidentally during a scan which performed for an unrelated reason
  • Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-producing tumor of the adrenal medulla, which may or may not be cancerous

Hereditary disorders associated with adrenal tumors

Notable people with adrenal gland disorders

Disorders of hormone over/under-production

References

  1. "Overview of the Adrenal Glands: Adrenal Gland Disorders: Merck Manual Home Health Handbook". Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  2. Adrenal Glands, Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.
  3. Mandel, Lee R. (September 2009). "Endocrine and Autoimmune Aspects of the Health History of John F. Kennedy". Annals of Internal Medicine. 151 (5): 350–354. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-5-200909010-00011. PMID 19721023.
  4. Upfal, Annette (2005). "Jane Austen's lifelong health problems and final illness: New evidence points to a fatal Hodgkin's disease and excludes the widely accepted Addison's". Medical Humanities. BMJ Publishing Group. 31 (1): 3–11. doi:10.1136/jmh.2004.000193. PMID 23674643.
  5. Marsden, Brian (1997-07-18). "Eugene Shoemaker (1928-1997)". Comet Shoemaker-Levy Collision with Jupiter. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
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