The Endocrine System
The purpose of the endocrine system is to keep the body’s internal systems in balance despite changes in the environment. When the brain senses changes in the body’s surroundings, it sends messages to the body’s organs in response to these changes. These messages are sent chemically using hormones which are released from an endocrine gland and taken up by hormone-specific receptors on other organs. Once it receives these chemical messages, the second organ will be triggered to perform some action perhaps even to release hormones of its own. As an example,
The endocrine system includes several organs and the hormones they make and deliver. These hormones keep the body running at a regular pace. Too much of a specific hormone can speed up a part of your system and will affect the work of other organs. In the same way, not enough of a hormone can slow your body down. There are many causes for these changes and there are many treatment options. Not all conditions require surgery. The Northern Alberta Endocrine Surgery Centre provides surgical treatments for problems of the thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas and adrenal glands.
This is a quick overview of the endocrine system and the most common conditions that occur when a part of this system is not working properly. Using the list below, click on the name of each organ to learn more about it.
Pineal, Hypothalamus & Pituitary
Thyroid
Parathyroid
Adrenal Glands
Pancreas
The Gonads (Ovaries/Testes)
Neuroendocrine Cells