The normal function of the<unk>  may be impaired by conditions such as infections, tumors, genetic disorders and autoimmune diseases, or as a side effect of medical therapy. These disorders affect the gland either directly (as with infections or autoimmune diseases) or as a result of the dysregulation of hormone production (as in some types of Cushing's syndrome) leading to an excess or insufficiency of<unk>  hormones and the related symptoms. Corticosteroid overproduction Cushing's syndrome Cushing's syndrome is the manifestation of glucocorticoid excess. It can be the result of a prolonged treatment with glucocorticoids or be caused by an underlying disease which produces alterations in the HPA axis or the production of cortisol. Causes can be further classified into ACTH-dependent or ACTH-independent. The most common cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome is a pituitary adenoma which causes an excessive production of ACTH. The disease produces a wide variety of signs and symptoms which include obesity, diabetes, increased blood pressure, excessive body hair (hirsutism), osteoporosis, depression, and most distinctively, stretch marks in the skin, caused by its progressive thinning. Primary aldosteronism When the zona glomerulosa produces excess aldosterone, the result is primary aldosteronism. Causes for this condition are bilateral hyperplasia (excessive tissue growth) of the glands, or aldosterone-producing adenomas (a condition called Conn's syndrome). Primary aldosteronism produces hypertension and electrolyte imbalance, increasing potassium depletion sodium retention.<unk>  insufficiency<unk>  insufficiency (the deficiency of glucocorticoids) occurs in about 5 in 10,000 in the general population. Diseases classified as primary<unk>  insufficiency (including Addison's disease and genetic causes) directly affect the<unk>  cortex. If a problem that affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis arises outside the gland, it is a secondary<unk>  insufficiency. Addison's disease Characteristic skin hyperpigmentation in Addison's disease Addison's disease refers to primary hypoadrenalism, which is a deficiency in glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid production by the<unk> . In the Western world, Addison's disease is most commonly an autoimmune condition, in which the body produces antibodies against cells of the<unk>  cortex. Worldwide, the disease is more frequently caused by infection, especially from tuberculosis. A distinctive feature of Addison's disease is hyperpigmentation of the skin, which presents with other nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue. A complication seen in untreated Addison's disease and other types of primary<unk>  insufficiency is the<unk>  crisis, a medical emergency in which low glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid levels result in hypovolemic shock and symptoms such as vomiting and fever. An<unk>  crisis can progressively lead to stupor and coma. The management of<unk>  crises includes the application of hydrocortisone injections. Secondary<unk>  insufficiency In secondary<unk>  insufficiency, a dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis leads to decreased stimulation of the<unk>  cortex. Apart from suppression of the axis by glucocorticoid therapy, the most common cause of secondary<unk>  insufficiency are tumors that affect the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by the pituitary gland. This type of<unk>  insufficiency usually does not affect the production of mineralocorticoids, which are under regulation of the renin–angiotensin system instead. Congenital<unk>  hyperplasia Congenital<unk>  hyperplasia is a congenital disease in which mutations of enzymes that produce steroid hormones result in a glucocorticoid deficiency and malfunction of the negative feedback loop of the HPA axis. In the HPA axis, cortisol (a glucocorticoid) inhibits the release of CRH and ACTH, hormones that in turn stimulate corticosteroid synthesis. As cortisol cannot be synthesized, these hormones are released in high quantities and stimulate production of other<unk>  steroids instead. The most common form of congenital<unk>  hyperplasia is due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. 21-hydroxylase is necessary for production of both mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, but not androgens. Therefore, ACTH stimulation of the<unk>  cortex induces the release of excessive amounts of<unk>  androgens, which can lead to the development of ambiguous genitalia and secondary sex characteristics.<unk>  tumors file description page in Wikimedia Commons.<unk>  tumors are commonly found as incidentalomas, unexpected asymptomatic tumors found during medical imaging. They are seen in around 3.4% of CT scans, and in most cases they are benign adenomas.<unk>  carcinomas are very rare, with an incidence of 1 case per million per year. Pheochromocytomas are tumors of the<unk>  medulla that arise from chromaffin cells. They can produce a variety of nonspecific symptoms, which include headaches, sweating, anxiety and palpitations. Common signs include hypertension and tachycardia. Surgery, especially<unk>  laparoscopy, is the most common treatment for small pheochromocytomas.
Adrenal gland
Adrenal cortex
Pituitary gland
Kidney
Liver
Ovary
Breast
Callus