Adrenal Cortex Disorders: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

The adrenal cortex is the outer part of the adrenal glands. It is responsible for secreting male sex hormones, hormones which help the body control proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and mineralocorticoids which control salt and potassium levels and blood pressure. When not functioning properly, the adrenal cortex is associated with two types of diseases.

Causes

• Adrenal cortex malfunction could be caused by pituitary glands not producing hormones needed to control adrenal glands. They could also be caused by disease or infection of adrenal glands.

Disease Types

• Adrenal cortex diseases fall into two categories. Hyper-function adrenocortical syndromes over produce hormones and hypo-function adrenocortical syndromes under produce hormones.

Hyperfunction

• Adrenal cortex diseases which are hyper-functioning include Cushing's syndrome in which too much cortisol is produced, and androgenital syndrome in which females have masculine genitalia.

Hypofunction

• Adrenal cortex diseases which are hypo-functioning include Addison's disease in which there isn't enough production of the hormone cortisol.

Aldosteronism

• Aldosteronism can be either type of adrenal cortex disease. In primary hyperaldosteronism too much aldosteron is produced. In selective hypoaldosteronism too little is produced.