Question

One of the effects of increased secretion of adrenaline is ________ (dry mouth/slowing of heartbeat/face flushed with blood).

Answer 1

Hint: Adrenaline is also called epinephrine. It is secreted by adrenal glands which are located at the top of each kidney and these glands are controlled by the pituitary gland. Adrenal glands are responsible for producing many other hormones.

Complete answer:
Adrenaline, also called epinephrine or fight-or-flight hormone is secreted by adrenal glands. These glands are situated at the top of each kidney and are controlled by the pituitary gland. The adrenal glands have two parts: outer (adrenal cortex) and inner (adrenal medulla). Adrenaline hormone is secreted by inner glands. Adrenal glands not only produce adrenaline but also produce many other hormones such as, aldosterone, cortisol and noradrenaline.
Adrenaline is secreted in response to stressful, exciting or dangerous situations. It helps the body react to the situation quickly and makes the heartbeat faster, increasing the blood flow to the brain and muscles. The release of adrenaline is often referred to as adrenaline rush. ‘
Adrenaline rush begins in the brain when an unusual situation is sensed. The information is sent to the part of the brain which plays an important role in emotional processing. This part is called amygdala. From amygdala, this information is sent to hypothalamus, which is the command center of the brain. The hypothalamus transmits signals through nerves to adrenal medulla and thereby adrenaline is released into the bloodstream. Adrenaline rush increases heart rate, sweating, rapid breathing, dilated pupils, nervousness and dry mouth. Dry mouth is caused due to the decreased secretions of gastric juices. Therefore, the correct answer to this question is dry mouth.

Note: An anxious mind stimulates the body to secrete adrenaline and cortisol, which is a stress hormone. It may also be released to bright lights, loud noises, being in public. Thereby, it is important to learn the techniques to counter the body’s stress, which can be achieved by meditation, deep breathing, yoga, etc.