Adrenal glands (Fight and flight responses)
Introduction:
The human body responds and reacts to many things around him in the
environment. If the person faces danger the response will be to run away from
the danger, for any happy time he will enjoy, with the sad time will be sad,
and when doing something wrong will be angry. These are all responses and
psychological emotions the nervous system is responsible for it and especially
the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems that are organized in the
brain. These two nervous systems have secreted hormones in different situations
and the hormones that have been secreted were epinephrine and norepinephrine
from the adrenal gland.
https://youtu.be/rlKFpiTprTc
The anatomy and function of the adrenal gland:
The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys that consist of two
parts; the adrenal cortex is the largest and outer part and responsible for
secreting some types of hormones, and the adrenal medulla is the inner part and
responsible for secreting stress hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine.
The hormones that are secreted by the adrenal gland were; cortisol produced from the adrenal gland response from the
pituitary gland that controls body consumption of fats, proteins, and
carbohydrates, aldosterone which controls
blood pressure in the body by organizing sodium potassium levels in the blood,
epinephrine
(adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) that secreted from adrenal
medulla that controls the response of flight and fight.
Epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline):
These 2 hormones Epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine
(noradrenaline) are very important in the body especially been activated in
emotionally stressful situations by the sympathetic nervous systems. Epinephrine
works with stressful situations when facing danger and norepinephrine
opposition the epinephrine actions and stimulations in the body to return to a
normal body.
The physical and psychological changes during stressful situations:
During fight or flight responses the body reacts as the following:
1- The heart rates will increase with the dilatation of blood vessels that
increase the blood flow to the heart to increase oxygen and energy.
2- Increase the oxygen consumption of the lungs because of increased blood
flow caused by blood vessel dilatations.
3- In the liver, the glycogen is converted to glucose which increases the
strength of skeletal muscles and brains.
4- The skin will be pale because most of the blood flow goes to the vital
organs for the stressful response.
5- The pupils will be dilated to increase visual acuity and for quick
responses.
This time the body also will have psychological responses that increase
their attention to and focus on the danger, and the body psychologically will
be ready for any danger or events.
The importance of fight and flight responses:
The fight and flight responses are very
important specifically during dangerous situations where the body must quickly
respond and be ready with all its physical and psychological body defense after
that the body must return to its normal situations with the help of sympathetic
and parasympathetic nervous systems.