Practice question · Sort into groups
The adrenal gland runs two very different stress pathways. Sort each feature.
Groups: Fast: adrenal medulla -> adrenaline · Slow: HPA axis -> cortisol
- Effects build over minutes to hours
- Released by the adrenal cortex
- Under direct sympathetic nervous control, acting within seconds
- A hormone cascade through the hypothalamus and pituitary
- Released by the adrenal medulla
Hints
- Both come from the adrenal gland, but by different pathways and timescales.
- Medulla + direct nerves + seconds is the fast route; cortex + hormone cascade + minutes is the slow route.
Show the answer
Fast: adrenal medulla -> adrenaline: Under direct sympathetic nervous control, acting within seconds, Released by the adrenal medulla
Slow: HPA axis -> cortisol: A hormone cascade through the hypothalamus and pituitary, Released by the adrenal cortex, Effects build over minutes to hours
Why
Adrenaline comes fast from the adrenal medulla under direct sympathetic control; cortisol comes slowly from the adrenal cortex via the HPA hormone cascade. Same gland, entirely different control pathways and timescales - the lesson's central pitfall.
Practise Endocrine System
The app has 5 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Psychology I is free to start.
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