Endocrine Weight Loss Endocrine System 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which hormone secreted by adipose tissue directly signals the hypothalamus to suppress appetite?
- Leptin (Correct answer)
- Adiponectin
- Resistin
- Visfatin
Correct answer: Leptin
Leptin is secreted by fat cells and acts on hypothalamic receptors to reduce hunger and increase energy expenditure.
Question 2: A patient with hypothyroidism typically experiences weight gain primarily because of:
- Increased caloric intake due to hunger
- Reduced basal metabolic rate (Correct answer)
- Elevated cortisol levels
- Decreased leptin sensitivity
Correct answer: Reduced basal metabolic rate
Thyroid hormones regulate basal metabolic rate, so deficiency slows metabolism and promotes weight gain even without overeating.
Question 3: Which adrenal hormone promotes visceral fat accumulation when chronically elevated?
- Aldosterone
- DHEA
- Cortisol (Correct answer)
- Epinephrine
Correct answer: Cortisol
Chronic cortisol elevation stimulates gluconeogenesis and promotes fat redistribution to visceral (abdominal) depots.
Question 4: Ghrelin is best described as:
- A satiety hormone released after meals
- A hunger-stimulating hormone that peaks before meals (Correct answer)
- An insulin-sensitizing adipokine
- A thyroid-stimulating hormone precursor
Correct answer: A hunger-stimulating hormone that peaks before meals
Ghrelin is produced mainly in the stomach and rises before meals to stimulate appetite, then falls after eating.
Question 5: In patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), weight gain is most closely linked to which endocrine abnormality?
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia (Correct answer)
- Growth hormone deficiency
Correct answer: Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia
Insulin resistance drives compensatory hyperinsulinemia in PCOS, which promotes fat storage and androgen production.
Question 6: Which endocrine gland produces peptide YY (PYY), a hormone that reduces appetite after eating?
- Pancreas
- Thyroid
- Gastrointestinal tract (ileum and colon) (Correct answer)
- Adrenal gland
Correct answer: Gastrointestinal tract (ileum and colon)
PYY is secreted by L-cells in the ileum and colon in proportion to caloric intake and slows gastric emptying to promote satiety.
Question 7: Growth hormone (GH) deficiency in adults is associated with which body composition change?
- Decreased visceral fat and increased lean mass
- Increased visceral fat and decreased lean mass (Correct answer)
- Increased subcutaneous fat only
- No significant change in body composition
Correct answer: Increased visceral fat and decreased lean mass
GH promotes lipolysis and protein anabolism, so deficiency leads to visceral fat accumulation and loss of muscle mass.
Endocrine Weight Loss Endocrine System 2
Which hormone secreted by adipose tissue directly signals the hypothalamus to suppress appetite?