Given below is the outline of the human body showing the important glands: Given below is the outline of the human body showing the important glands:
Name the gland that secretes the ‘emergency hormone’.
Topic: Adrenal medulla — emergency hormone
Answer
The ADRENAL GLAND — specifically the ADRENAL MEDULLA, which secretes ADRENALINE.
ADRENALINE is called the EMERGENCY HORMONE (or the fight-or-flight hormone) because it prepares the body for sudden action in a crisis: the heart rate and breathing rate rise, the pupils and bronchi dilate, blood is diverted from the gut to the skeletal muscles, and stored glycogen is converted to glucose for energy.
BE PRECISE ABOUT WHICH PART, since the two halves of the adrenal gland secrete quite different things: ADRENAL MEDULLA (inner) — ADRENALINE and noradrenaline, the emergency hormones ADRENAL CORTEX (outer) — cortisol, aldosterone and androgens; its disorders include Addison’s disease, Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal virilism
THE SINGLE TEST for any adrenaline question: does the change help you fight or run? If yes, adrenaline and the sympathetic system are responsible.