During stressful situations, the adrenal gland releases large amounts of ________ into the blood stream.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Catecholamines
Option (1) Catecholamines — Correct. Under stress, the hypothalamus acts along two pathways. In the first, through the autonomic nervous system, the adrenal gland releases large amounts of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the blood stream, which produce the fight-or-flight changes. In the second, the pituitary gland leads to the release of the corticosteroid cortisol, which provides energy.
Option (2) Monoamines — Incorrect. Monoamines are a broad chemical family of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin and dopamine). The hormones the adrenal gland pours into the blood under stress are named specifically as catecholamines.
Option (3) GABA — Incorrect. Gamma aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter in the brain; low activity of GABA is linked to anxiety disorders. It is not an adrenal hormone.
Option (4) Dopamine — Incorrect. Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter; excess dopamine activity is linked to schizophrenia. It is not the stress hormone the adrenal gland releases.
NCERT (2025-26): “Nature of Stress … The hypothalamus initiates action along two pathways. The first pathway involves the autonomic nervous system. The adrenal gland releases large amount of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the blood stream. This leads to physiological changes seen in fight-or-flight response. The second pathway involves the pituitary gland, which secretes the corticosteroid (cortisol) which provides energy.…” |