Reason behind the symptoms of Addison disease - 1

Hi guys! Today, we will be bringing you guys to a field trip! This trip will be able to help you guys understand the reasons behind the symptoms of Addison Disease. So are you guys ready? If yes, let's get started!

Disclaimer: For today's trip, we will be visiting 2 different factories (2 organs). However, do not worry that you might get lost in this foreign land as we will guide you through it.

**Symptoms are the highlighted part.

So for the 1st factory, we will bring you guys to........The Liver.

In the Liver factory, glucose production is triggered by cortisol, However, in this factory, glucose production is low as cortisol levels are low.

Thus, it will cause one to become very tired (Extreme fatigue) or even cause him/her to have sluggish movement. This is cause by the low levels of glucose which in turn will cause one to have lesser amount of energy generated. Therefore, without energy it will cause one to feel extreme fatigue or move sluggishly.












Adding on, with low amount of glucose, it will cause the person to be unable to cope with stress.

Do you guys remember a good partner of cortisol known as Epinephrine? Epinephrine help one to cope with stress but it need cortisol to help to increase the production of glucose.

By doing this, it will help the person to be well-prep for coping with stress. Hence, if cortisol levels are low, it will be unable to help epinephrine to increase glucose production. Thus leading to one being unable to cope with stress!



Next stop! The Skin Factory!

Another symptom of Addison Disease is the Hyperpigmentation of Skin. However, why will this happen?

In the factory, the production of melanin is high.

But this factory doesn't depend on the Cortisol or aldosterone to produce melanin. (However, low levels of cortisol indirectly causes high levels of melanin) Instead it depends on ACTH, a hormone that is produced by pituitary gland for the production of cortisol.

ACTH is needed for melanin production as ACTH contains a component known as melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). This hormone stimulate melanocytes in the skin to produce melanin. Thus, when high levels ACTH is produced, there will be more MSH, thus causing the factory's production of melanin to increase and since melanin gives color to the skin, high production of melanin will cause hyperpigmentation.



***But why does ACTH levels increase?
This is due to low levels of cortisol which causes the pituitary gland to increase the levels of ACTH as it attempts to increase the levels of cortisol.

So did you guys enjoy the trip down to the two factories? I really hope you guys enjoy our next post, we will be bringing you guys to the Land of Blood. WAHAHAHA!! SO STAY TUNE! :)

Credits:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Addisons-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx

http://novusdetox.com/press/dependence.php?include=139840
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/116467-clinical
http://www.pathologystudent.com/?p=6034
http://galleryhip.com/tired-person-cartoon.html
http://www.123rf.com/photo_17414692_cartoon-character-of-man-smashing-stress.html
http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/addison.aspx