Q.A pregnant female delivers a baby who suffers from stunted growth, mental retardation, low intelligence quotient and abnormal skin. This is the result of
a. Low secretion of growth hormone
b. Cancer of the thyroid gland
c. Over secretion of pars distalis
d. Deficiency of iodine in diet.

Because hormone levels must stay within a working range, both hyposecretion and hypersecretion of any endocrine gland cause distinct, recognisable disorders. Growth hormone: too little in childhood causes dwarfism, too much in childhood causes gigantism, and too much in adulthood causes acromegaly. Thyroid: too much causes Grave's disease (thyrotoxicosis, raised BMR, exophthalmos), too little causes simple goitre (in adults), cretinism (from infancy) or myxedema (adult-onset). Parathyroid: too little causes tetany (hypocalcemia, muscle spasms), too much causes hyperparathyroidism (bone demineralisation). Adrenal cortex: too little causes Addison's disease (hypotension, hyperpigmentation), too much cortisol caus …