Wednesday, March 4, 2009

During Wednesday’s class we learnt about the endocrine system. We discussed the endocrine glands that release hormones into our blood streams, alter bodily functions and maintain homeostasis. The glands that create hormones include the pineal, hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, thymus, and pancreas. We learnt about the anterior and posterior pituitary and how releasing hormones from the hypothalamus allow the release of anterior pituitary hormones through the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system. Oxytocin and Anti-Diuretic Hormone are two hormones made in nuclei in the hypothalamus and are transported into the posterior pituitary for storage via the hypothamo-hypophyseal tract. The two major types of hormones are protein hormones and steroid hormones. Although steroid hormones are slower to affect their target organs they have longer-lasting effects. Protein steroids, however, are more easily maneuvered.

As can be imagined, hormones play a critical role in the development of our bodies. Growth hormone, released by the anterior pituitary, is a hormone that allows our bodies to grow—especially during puberty. In class we discussed how dwarfism can be caused by a growth hormone deficiency. However, aside from synthetic growth hormone, what other methods can be performed to aid in the lives of dwarfs? The child of one of my parent’s relatives is a dwarf and is about 18 years old now. A year or so after I met him (which was about 5 years ago) he was to undergo surgery on his spine to increase his height and prevent scoliosis or kyphosis (abnormal curvatures of the spine). I researched the surgery and found that many dwarfs have problems with their spines that can become crippling. In order to prevent this from happening doctors fuse certain vertebrae of the spine together and place metal rods along the spine for stability. This straightens the spine during the healing process. After the vertebrae are fused the spine can no longer bend (or is limited in its bending ability). This prevents scoliosis or kyphosis from developing. During the healing process they must also wear a “halo” around their heads to prevent their necks from moving before the spine is healed. Not only does the surgery prevent the crippling of the spine, but it can also add a few inches to the individual’s height, as it did with the person I know.