[PhysioEX Chapter 4 exercise 4] PEX-04-04

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Exercise 4: Endocrine System Physiology: Activity 4: Measuring Cortisol and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 5 out of 5 questions correctly.

1. Cortisol
   You correctly answered: d. is a hormone important in the body's response to stress.
2. ACTH
   You correctly answered: d. is a tropic hormone that stimulates cortisol release.
3. CRH
   You correctly answered: b. has a tropic effect on the anterior pituitary gland.
4. Cushing's syndrome refers to
   You correctly answered: c. a hypercortisolism, which could be iatrogenic.
5. A condition of hypocortisolism
   You correctly answered: d. refers to low levels of cortisol in the blood.
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Experiment Results
Stop & Think Questions:
Normally high levels of cortisol would inhibit release of
You correctly answered: c. both ACTH and CRH
Which hormone(s) stimulate(s) the pituitary gland to release ACTH?
You correctly answered: a. CRH
Experiment Data:
Patient Cortisol
(mcg/dl)
High/Low ACTH
(pg/ml)
High/Low
1 3.35 Low 16.14 Low
2 37.48 High 14.98 Low
3 47.19 High 81.78 High
4 3.09 Low 98.71 High
5 48.47 High 17.12 Low

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 6 out of 6 questions correctly.

1. Under normal conditions, if the amount of secreted CRH increases, then
   You correctly answered: c. the amount of secreted ACTH will increase.
2. Under normal conditions, if the amount of secreted ACTH increases, then
   You correctly answered: d. the amount of secreted CRH will likely decrease.
3. Under normal conditions, if the amount of secreted cortisol increases, then
   You correctly answered: b. the amount of secreted ACTH will likely decrease.
4. If a hypersecreting pituitary tumor develops, then an expected outcome is
   You correctly answered: a. a diagnosis of Cushing's disease.
5. If a hypersecreting adrenal cortex tumor develops, then an expected outcome is
   You correctly answered: b. abnormally low levels of CRH due to negative feedback.
6. A patient's chart lists the diagnosis of Addison's disease. Therefore, you expect
   You correctly answered: b. abnormally high levels of ACTH.
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Review Sheet Results

1. Which patient would most likely be diagnosed with Cushing's disease (view Table 4.1 in Experiment Results)? Why?
   Your answer:
   Patient 3 would likely be diagnosed with Cushing's disease, because they exhibit high cortisol and ACTH levels in the blood
   stream
2. Which two patients have hormone levels characteristic of Cushing's syndrome (view Table 4.1 in Experiment Results)?
   Your answer:
   Patients 2 and 5 exhibit signs of Cushing's syndrome
3. Patient 2 is being treated for rheumatoid arthritis with prednisone. How does this information change the diagnosis (view
   Table 4.1 in Experiment Results)?
   Your answer:
   Prednisone redues the levels of cortisol in the blood by supressing the function of the adrenal glands. Therefore, this would
   decrease the ability for cortisol to be released when stimulated by ACTH. This confirms with the experimental results
4. Which patient would most likely be diagnosed with Addison's disease (view Table 4.1 in Experiment Results)? Why?
   Your answer:
   In case of patient 4, Cortisol level is low and ACTH is high
   This is signs of primary adrenal insufficiency
   Low level of cortisol caused by damage to the anterior pituitary, and ACTH is elevated to compensate