CHAPTER XXVI 



EFFECTS ON THE SUPRARENAL GLANDS 



A prominent characteristic of the suprarenal (adrenal) glands is their marked 

 apparent resistance to the effects of both total and partial inanition. An 

 interesting feature (occasionally found also in other endocrine glands) is their 

 tendency to hypertrophy, rather than atrophy, in various conditions of malnutri- 

 tion. After a brief summary, the effects of inanition upon the suprarenal glands 

 will be considered in detail under (^4) total inanition and (B) partial inanition. 



Summary of Effects on the Suprarenal Glands 



The data concerning the changes in the suprarenal glands during inanition 

 appear usually discordant and conflicting. Some of these differences are due to 

 variations in the type of degree of inanition, others to variations in species, age 

 and individuals, as well as to the technique used by different investigators. 

 Some of the variations (in lipoids, chromaffin substance, etc.) may be due to 

 correlated but variable conditions elsewhere in the organism. In general, 

 further research is required in order to clear up many unsolved problems con- 

 cerning the effects of inanition upon the suprarenal glands. 



As to the weight of the suprarenal glands, in human adults during total 

 inanition (complete or incomplete), the available data indicate little or no loss, 

 but rather an increase in most cases. In atrophic infants, on the other hand, 

 a marked atrophy of the suprarenals appears characteristic. In adult fasting 

 animals, as in man, the suprarenals appear relatively resistant to loss in weight, 

 usually manifesting a very marked increase (sometimes over ioo per cent), con- 

 trasting strongly with the atrophy typically found in most of the other viscera. 

 In young animals, the persistent increase in suprarenal weight may be even 

 greater, especially at certain stages of inanition and development, although a 

 marked atrophy occurs during prenatal inanition (rat). Upon refeeding, mito- 

 sis (which is suppressed during inanition) is resumed, and the hypertrophied 

 suprarenals promptly decrease to normal size, sometimes even below normal. 



Notable enlargement of the suprarenal glands also occurs in various forms of 

 partial inanition, especially with dietetic deficiencies in protein (malnutritional 

 edema), in salts (experimental rickets), and in vitamins (especially in beriberi 

 and experimental scurvy). In rats on dry diets (thirst) the results are similar to 

 those during total inanition. 



The enlargement of the suprarenal during inanition appears due to hyper- 

 trophy in some cases of the cortex; in others, of the medulla, or of both. Con- 

 gestion of the blood vessels (sometimes hemorrhage) is characteristic in both 

 cortex and medulla, and this may in some cases cause an increase in weight, in 

 spite of actual atrophy of the parenchyma. 



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