Which hormone overproduction characterizes Cushing disease?

Which hormone overproduction characterizes Cushing disease?

• A. Insulin
• B. Glucocorticoids
• C. Mineralocorticoids
• D. Growth hormone

Answer: (B)

Cushing disease is driven by too much cortisol, the body's main glucocorticoid, produced when a pituitary tumor secretes excess ACTH. That ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to overproduce cortisol, leading to the features of Cushing syndrome. Other hormones listed don’t cause this condition: insulin governs glucose in the pancreas, mineralocorticoids like aldosterone regulate salt and water balance, and growth hormone excess causes acromegaly. So the overproduced hormone characterizing Cushing disease is glucocorticoids (cortisol).

Cushing disease is driven by too much cortisol, the body's main glucocorticoid, produced when a pituitary tumor secretes excess ACTH. That ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to overproduce cortisol, leading to the features of Cushing syndrome. Other hormones listed don’t cause this condition: insulin governs glucose in the pancreas, mineralocorticoids like aldosterone regulate salt and water balance, and growth hormone excess causes acromegaly. So the overproduced hormone characterizing Cushing disease is glucocorticoids (cortisol).