CHAPTER: 7 ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND ADOLESCENCE

I. Key words:
1. Dwarfism
2. Gigantism
3. Adrenaline
4. Thyroxine
5. Oestrogen
6. Progesterone
7. Testosterone
8. Ovulation
9. Menstruation
10.Menarche
II. Give reasons for the following:
1.Hypothalamus is known as the master gland.
It's called the master gland because it regulates the activity of the glands. The
hypothalamus sends either hormonal or electrical messages to the pituitary gland.
In turn, it releases hormones that carry signals to other glands.

2. Pancreas is called both exocrine and endocrine gland.

Endocrine glands are those glands which release their secretions directly into the
blood which carries it to the target sites. Endocrine glands mainly secrete
hormones. Since the pancreas secretes both digestive juices and hormones and has
exocrine and endocrine parts, it is known as an exo- endocrine gland.

3. Hormonal imbalances impact physical and mental health.

Hormones play an important role in regulating bodily functions and can affect a

person's mood. When the levels of hormones are off, it may manifest as a mood
disorder. At the time, individuals may not understand that they have irregular
hormone levels. They might just feel restless, irritable, constantly fatigued, or just
have a low mood overall.

III. Draw the following:

a) Thyroid gland
b) Adrenal gland
c) Pancreas
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REFERENCE QUESTIONS:
I. Answer the following:
1. Define the following:
a) Hormones
Hormones are the chemicals secreted by the glands of the endocrine system
that coordinate several life processes such as growth, development, behaviour and
reproduction of the organism etc.

b) Puberty
Puberty is the stage in the life cycle of humans in which the body becomes
biologically capable of sexual reproduction.
c) Adolescence
It is the transitional period from childhood to adulthood. The period of adolescence
starts at puberty and continues till the age of 18 - 19 years.
d) Drugs
Drugs are the chemical substances that, if taken without a doctor’s
prescription or in excessive amounts, can cause serious damage to the body and
affect one’s mental health.
2. What is menstruation? Explain the different phases of the menstrual
cycle.
If fertilization does not occur, the released egg and the thickened lining of the
uterus along with its blood vessels are shed from the body. This is called
menstruation.
 Phases Description

Phase 1 (Day 1-4) The uterus lining breaks, and the egg and uterine lining are
expelled out of the body

Phase 2 (Day 4-12) New lining of uterus starts forming and it becomes thick

Phase 3 (Day 12-14) Ovulation-the egg is released from the ovary

Phase 4 (Day 20-24) The spongy layer remains thick, waiting for the implantation of
the fertilised egg. If this does not happen, then it is shed away
between days 25 and 28 of the cycle

3.Tabulate the endocrine glands and the hormones secreted by them.

Glands Hormones

Pituitary gland Growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),

follicle stimulating hormone (TSH) and luteinizing
hormone (LH)

Thyroid gland Thyroxine

Adrenal gland Adrenaline

Pancreas Insulin

Ovaries Oestrogen, Progesterone

Testes Testosterone

4. Elucidate the ill effects of drug abuse.

The ill effects of drug abuse are given below:

● Drug abuse is a common problem among adolescents.

 ● Drug abuse can lead to a lack of concentration, inability to work, abandoning family
and friends.
● Drug abuse will tempt people to steal money and goods to pay for drugs out of
desperation.
● Drug abuse can seriously damage both physical and mental health.
● Addicts who share needles to inject the drug into their body face the danger of getting
infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV can cause the acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a fatal disease that has no cure so far.
5.Give reasons for the following:
a) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is present only in females.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) regulates the menstrual cycle and also
stimulates the release of ovum and hence present only in females.
b) Ovulation occurs once in a month in a female’s body.
One ovulation happens per menstrual cycle and hence occurs once in a
month in a female’s body.
c)It is necessary for adolescents to maintain personal hygiene.

● During adolescence, there is an excess secretion of sweat and bodily fluids, which
leads to body odour. Hence, it is important to bathe daily and keep the body clean.

● Clothes must be changed every day as unhygienic conditions may lead to bacterial or
fungal infections.
● Girls must maintain proper hygiene during menstruation and keep track of their
menstrual cycle.
II.Critical thinking:
1.Sometimes children may grow taller than both the parents , whereas
some may not grow as tall as either of the parents . Why and how?
Height is multifactorial. It depends on at what age the growth hormones are
released , genes responsible for both proportion and nutrition of the mother during
gestation and nutrition of the person during the growth years.
8. A person is able to control his rapid heart rate, can withstand pain, does
not feel tense and does not shiver when confronted with dangerous
situations.Another person is unable to control none of these, and suffers
from panic attacks. What could be the reason behind this?
Adrenal gland is responsible for it ,it secretes a hormone called adrenaline.

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