Endocrine System - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Child with Cretinism (stunted growth, mental retardation).

1. Which gland?
   • Answer: Thyroid gland.
2. Name hormone and function.
   • Answer: Thyroxine. It regulates the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), growth, and development.
3. Designing: Dietary inclusion.
   • Answer: Iodised salt.
4. Analysis: Cretinism vs Dwarfism.
   • Answer: Cretinism is due to Thyroid deficiency and involves mental retardation. Pituitary Dwarfism is due to Growth Hormone deficiency and the individual is mentally normal.
5. Adult hyposecretion condition.
   • Answer: Myxoedema (Sluggishness, swelling of face/hands).

Case Study 2: Surge of energy when chased by a dog. 6. Identify hormone.

• Answer: Adrenaline (or Epinephrine).

7. Why "Fight or Flight"?
   • Answer: It prepares the body for sudden physical action to either face the threat or run away.
8. Creating: Flowchart.
   • Answer: Adrenaline -> Heart (Rate up) -> Lungs (Breathing up) -> Liver (Glycogen to Glucose) -> Muscles (Blood supply up).
9. Critical Thinking: Why digestive system slows?
   • Answer: To divert blood flow and energy away from non-essential tasks to the heart and skeletal muscles.
10. Which gland and location?
    • Answer: Adrenal glands. Located as "caps" on top of each kidney.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

11. Assertion (A): Pancreas is heterocrine. Reason (R): It has both exocrine and endocrine parts.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
12. Assertion (A): Insulin lowers blood sugar. Reason (R): It promotes Glycogenesis.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
13. Assertion (A): Pituitary is Master Gland. Reason (R): It controls other glands.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
14. Assertion (A): Simple Goitre caused by Iron deficiency. Reason (R): Iron is essential for Thyroxine.
    • Answer: (d) A is false but R is true (in structure, but factually both are false as Iodine is needed). Correct: (d) A is false. (Iodine is needed).
15. Assertion (A): Diabetes Mellitus has Glycosuria. Reason (R): Caused by hyposecretion of Insulin.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

16. Designing: Negative Feedback diagram.
    • Answer: Low Thyroxine -> Hypothalamus releases TRH -> Pituitary releases TSH -> Thyroid releases Thyroxine -> High Thyroxine inhibits TRH/TSH.
17. Creating: Insulin Profile Card.
    • Answer: Source: Beta cells. Target: Liver/Muscles. Function: Lowers sugar. Deficiency: Diabetes Mellitus.
18. Analysis: Exophthalmic vs Simple Goitre.
    • Answer: Exophthalmic: Hyperthyroidism, protruding eyes, weight loss. Simple: Hypothyroidism, iodine deficiency, swelling in neck.
19. Designing: Anterior Pituitary table.
    • Answer: [GH: Growth. TSH: Stimulates Thyroid. ACTH: Stimulates Adrenal cortex. FSH/LH: Gonad function].
20. Visualisation: Gland locations.
    • Answer: [Thyroid: Neck. Pancreas: Below stomach. Adrenal: Above kidneys].
21. Application: Thirst and hunger in diabetes.
    • Answer: Sugar in urine pulls water (thirst). Cells are starving for glucose because it can't enter without insulin (hunger).
22. Creating: Feedback failure scenario.
    • Answer: Thyroid would keep growing (forming a huge goitre) and metabolism would skyrocket to dangerous levels.
23. Analysis: Insulin vs Glucagon.
    • Answer: Insulin lowers blood sugar (store as glycogen). Glucagon raises blood sugar (break down glycogen).
24. Designing: IDD poster.
    • Answer: [Visuals of Goitre and Cretinism, promoting Iodised salt].
25. Creating: Cortisone explanation.
    • Answer: It mimics cortisol, which suppresses the immune system and reduces inflammation in joints/tissues.

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

26. Tropic Hormones.
    • Answer: Hormones that stimulate other endocrine glands to secrete their hormones (e.g., TSH, ACTH).
27. Scenario: Giant vs Dwarf.
    • Answer: Giant: Hypersecretion of GH in childhood. Dwarf: Hyposecretion of GH in childhood.
28. Critical Thinking: Adrenal Medulla and Sympathetic system.
    • Answer: Both work together to produce the stress response. The Medulla is essentially a specialized part of the sympathetic system.
29. Application: Acromegaly.
    • Answer: Hypersecretion of GH in adults, leading to thickened bones in hands, feet, and face.
30. Diabetes Mellitus vs Insipidus.
    • Answer: Mellitus: Sugar problem (Insulin). Insipidus: Water problem (ADH).
31. Diagram Based: Islets of Langerhans.
    • Answer: Alpha: Glucagon. Beta: Insulin.
32. Oxytocin and Prolactin.
    • Answer: Oxytocin: Uterine contraction and milk ejection. Prolactin: Milk production.
33. Analysis: Thymus gland changes.
    • Answer: It is involved in T-lymphocyte maturation for immunity; its shrinkage contributes to weaker immunity in the elderly.
34. Competency: Adrenaline on liver.
    • Answer: Stimulates Glycogenolysis (Glycogen to Glucose) to provide immediate energy.
35. Case: Graves' disease.
    • Answer: Hyperthyroidism.
36. Creating: Cortisol hypothesis.
    • Answer: Chronic high cortisol suppresses the immune system and increases blood pressure/sugar.
37. Designing: Endocrine vs Exocrine visual.
    • Answer: Endocrine: No ducts, secretes to blood. Exocrine: Has ducts, secretes to surface/organ.
38. Application: Birth control pills.
    • Answer: Contain estrogen/progesterone which inhibit FSH/LH, preventing ovulation.
39. Critical Thinking: Why insulin injection?
    • Answer: Insulin is a protein; if taken as a pill, it would be digested by stomach enzymes and become inactive.
40. Analysis: Chemical Messengers.
    • Answer: Hormones produced in small quantities, transported by blood, acting on distant target organs.

Section E: Advanced Competency

41. Scenario: Ovary removal.
    • Answer: Stops the production of estrogen and progesterone, ending the menstrual cycle (Artificial Menopause).
42. Designing: Concept map.
    • Answer: Hypothalamus (Releasing factors) -> Pituitary (Tropic hormones) -> Glands (Final hormones).
43. Application: Addison's Disease.
    • Answer: Symptoms: Skin pigmentation, low blood pressure, weight loss.
44. Creating: Who am I?
    • Answer: Adrenaline.
45. Case Study: High calcium.
    • Answer: Parathyroid gland (oversecretion of Parathormone).
46. Gastrin and Secretin.
    • Answer: Local hormones in the gut that regulate digestive secretions.
47. Critical Thinking: "Dual Organ".
    • Answer: Refers to the Pancreas having both digestive (exocrine) and hormonal (endocrine) functions.
48. Analysis: Adrenaline vs Noradrenaline.
    • Answer: Both similar, but Noradrenaline acts mainly on blood vessels to maintain blood pressure.
49. Designing: Glucose graph.
    • Answer: Normal: Spike then return to normal within 2h. Diabetic: Higher spike and remains high for long.
50. Creating: "Fatigue-cure" hormone.
    • Answer: Would likely act by increasing mitochondrial efficiency or reducing lactic acid buildup.