Which of the following statements about the adrenal medulla is false? You can respond once Secretion from the adrenal medulla is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system The adrenal medulla releases Cortisol triggered by stressful conditions The adrenal medulla is a modified postsynaptic sympathetic ganglion The products of the adrenal medulla prolong the effects of the sympathetic response
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The false statement is: “The adrenal medulla releases Cortisol triggered by stressful conditions.”
Explanation:
- The adrenal medulla is a part of the adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys. It plays a key role in the body’s stress response by releasing catecholamines—specifically epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)—into the bloodstream. These hormones are responsible for the “fight or flight” response, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles, and dilating air passages, which prepare the body for rapid action.
- Secretion from the adrenal medulla is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system, which is true. When the body perceives a stressor, the sympathetic nervous system stimulates the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine and norepinephrine.
- The adrenal medulla is a modified postsynaptic sympathetic ganglion, which is also accurate. The cells of the adrenal medulla are modified neurons (postsynaptic sympathetic neurons) that secrete catecholamines directly into the bloodstream, unlike typical sympathetic neurons that release neurotransmitters to synapses.
- The products of the adrenal medulla prolong the effects of the sympathetic response, is correct. While the effects of neurotransmitters released by sympathetic neurons are typically short-lived, the release of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream has a longer-lasting effect on the body’s systems.
However, the adrenal medulla does not release cortisol—this hormone is produced by the adrenal cortex, the outer part of the adrenal gland. Cortisol is a steroid hormone involved in the body’s response to stress, but it acts differently than the catecholamines, primarily by increasing glucose metabolism, suppressing inflammation, and influencing immune function. Therefore, the claim that the adrenal medulla releases cortisol is false.
