Tumors, disease, certain infections, and age can negatively affect adrenal gland function. Since the endocrine system is a series of organs and glands all working together, if one of them becomes hyper- or hypoplastic, it can lead to devastating consequences for the entire system. For example, if one gland is overproducing a hormone, it can override the negative feedback loop which can lead to a surplus of that hormone even when the body doesn't need it.
Endocrine system pathologies can be attributed to where they start and are labeled primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary organs are labeled from the hormone's organ of origin, and secondary and tertiary are labeled to the other endocrine structures that caused the hormone to be released in a reverse linear fashion.
Using the HPA axis as an example:
- Primary organ would be the adrenal gland, as this organ is the source of cortisol or adrenal gland hormones.
- Secondary organ would be the pituitary gland, as it releases ACTH which stimulates cortisol.
- Tertiary organ would be the hypothalamus, as it stimulates CRH to release ACTH to release cortisol.
Diseases affecting any of these organs can result in negative consequences in the production of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, sex hormones, and catecholamines.
