Adrenal gland disorders (or diseases) are conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of the

adrenal gland The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex whic ...

s. Adrenal disorders may cause

hyperfunction In mathematics, hyperfunctions are generalizations of functions, as a 'jump' from one holomorphic function to another at a boundary, and can be thought of informally as distributions of infinite order. Hyperfunctions were introduced by Mikio Sa ...

or hypofunction, and may be congenital or acquired. The adrenal gland produces hormones that affects growth, development and stress, and also helps to regulate kidney function. There are two parts of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex produces

mineralocorticoid Mineralocorticoids are a class of corticosteroids, which in turn are a class of steroid hormones. Mineralocorticoids are produced in the adrenal cortex and influence salt and water balances ( electrolyte balance and fluid balance). The primary ...

s, which regulate salt and water balance within the body,

glucocorticoid Glucocorticoids (or, less commonly, glucocorticosteroids) are a class of corticosteroids, which are a class of steroid hormones. Glucocorticoids are corticosteroids that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor that is present in almost every verteb ...

s (including cortisol) which have a wide number of roles within the body, and

androgens An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This in ...

, hormones with testosterone-like function.Adrenal Glands
Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and

norepinephrine Norepinephrine (NE), also called noradrenaline (NA) or noradrenalin, is an organic chemical in the catecholamine family that functions in the brain and body as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. The name "noradrenaline" (from Latin '' ad' ...

(noradrenaline). Disorders of the adrenal gland may affect the production of one or more of these hormones.

Tumors of the adrenal gland

* Adrenal adenoma, a benign tumor of the adrenal gland which may result in overproduction of one or more adrenal hormones, or may be inactive *

Adrenocortical carcinoma Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive cancer originating in the cortex (steroid hormone-producing tissue) of the adrenal gland. Adrenocortical carcinoma is remarkable for the many hormonal syndromes that can occur in patients with ste ...

, cancer of the adrenal cortex * Adrenal incidentaloma, an adrenal tumor (of any type) discovered accidentally during a scan which performed for an unrelated reason *

Pheochromocytoma Pheochromocytoma (PHEO or PCC) is a rare tumor of the adrenal medulla composed of chromaffin cells, also known as pheochromocytes. When a tumor composed of the same cells as a pheochromocytoma develops outside the adrenal gland, it is referred t ...

, a

catecholamine A catecholamine (; abbreviated CA) is a monoamine neurotransmitter, an organic compound that has a catechol (benzene with two hydroxyl side groups next to each other) and a side-chain amine. Catechol can be either a free molecule or a su ...

-producing tumor of the adrenal medulla, which may or may not be cancerous

Hereditary disorders associated with adrenal tumors

Von Hippel–Lindau disease Von Hippel–Lindau disease (VHL), also known as Von Hippel–Lindau syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder with multisystem involvement. It is characterized by visceral cysts and benign tumors with potential for subsequent malignant transformation ...

, a mutation of the VHL1 tumor-suppression gene associated with many types of tumor, including

pheochromocytoma Pheochromocytoma (PHEO or PCC) is a rare tumor of the adrenal medulla composed of chromaffin cells, also known as pheochromocytes. When a tumor composed of the same cells as a pheochromocytoma develops outside the adrenal gland, it is referred t ...

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Multiple endocrine neoplasia (abbreviated MEN) is a condition which encompasses several distinct syndromes featuring tumors of endocrine glands, each with its own characteristic pattern. In some cases, the tumors are malignant, in others, benig ...

, a family of syndromes in which genetic abnormalities contribute to the development of endocrine tumors

Notable people with adrenal gland disorders

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

, the 35th president of the United States was diagnosed with Addison’s disease. * Some have suggested Jane Austen was an '' avant la lettre'' case of

Addison's Disease Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adre ...

, but others have disputed this. * Scientist Eugene Merle Shoemaker, co-discoverer of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 had

Disorders of hormone over/under-production

Addison's disease Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adre ...

, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, a disease in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient

glucocorticoids Glucocorticoids (or, less commonly, glucocorticosteroids) are a class of corticosteroids, which are a class of steroid hormones. Glucocorticoids are corticosteroids that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor that is present in almost every vertebr ...

(sometimes also

mineralocorticoids Mineralocorticoids are a class of corticosteroids, which in turn are a class of steroid hormones. Mineralocorticoids are produced in the adrenal cortex and influence salt and water balances (electrolyte balance and fluid balance). The primary min ...

) for a reason directly related to the adrenal gland itself, such as auto-immune damage to the adrenal gland or adrenal gland atrophy due to medication use * Adrenal crisis, a life-threatening medical emergency resulting from insufficient levels of cortisol * Adrenal insufficiency, a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient

(or sometimes

. This is often due to another adrenal disorder, such as

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of autosomal recessive disorders characterized by impaired cortisol synthesis. It results from the deficiency of one of the five enzymes required for the synthesis of cortisol in the adrenal cort ...

, however it may also result from a problem elsewhere in the body (such as the hypothalamus or pituitary gland) that leads to abnormalities in the production of hormones regulating adrenal function *

, a hereditary disorder in which one of the enzymes involved in cortisol synthesis does not function properly. This disorder is also often associated with an over-production of

androgen An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This in ...

hormones. *

Cushing's disease Cushing's disease is one cause of Cushing's syndrome characterised by increased secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary (secondary hypercortisolism). This is most often as a result of a pituitary adenoma (spe ...

, a disorder in which cortisol levels are abnormally high * Hyperaldosteronism (including

Conn's syndrome Primary aldosteronism (PA)'','' also known as primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn's syndrome, refers to the excess production of the hormone aldosterone from the adrenal glands, resulting in low renin levels and high blood pressure. This abnormalit ...

), a condition in which aldosterone is over-produced * Hypoaldosteronism, a condition in which aldosterone is under-produced

References

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