Question

13. Shondra tells her doctor that she has been feeling jittery and has had trouble sleeping. She also complains about her roommates changing the thermostat and making it too high. A blood test shows antibodies and suggests she might have an autoimmune disease. What organ do you think the antibodies are binding to and how might this cause her symptoms?

Answer 1

Feeling jittery, trouble sleeping and increase in thermostat pointing towards the disease called hyperthyroidism(a disease of thyroid gland)

The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is GRAVE'S DISEASE. It is the condition resulting in the increased levels of T4 and T3 thyroid hormones.

Grave's disease is a autoimmune disorder, as a result plasma cells derived from B - lymphocytes activated by antigens produce :Thyroid stimulating antibodies-TSA(also called long acting thyroid stimulator - LATS or thyroid stimulating immunoglobuoins-TSI)

LATS combine with receptors on thyroid cell plasma membrane and displace thyroid stimulating hormone from its binding site and act via stimulating cAMP to cause prolonged action leading to - increased formation and release of T4 And T3 hormones from thyroid gland and increased growth of thyroid gland.

Causes of her symptoms -

1)Thyoid hormones are necessary for nervous system development. As increases level of thyroid hormones in hyperthyroidism causes increased responsiveness to catecholamines which stimulate the reticular activity system producing :

A) nervousness (jittery), emotional instability,anxiety

B) over excitability and restlessness

C) insomnia (sleeplessness )

D) irritability and fatigue with fine rhythmic tremors in hands.

2)Thyroid hormones stimulate heat production in the body . Excess of thyroid hormones in hyperthyroidism causes more heat production, so changing her thermostat to high causing increase in body temperature.