FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Thyroid Physiology
Quiz about Thyroid Physiology

Thyroid Physiology Trivia Quiz


This quiz covers some basic and some more complex information about the thyroid gland and the hormones it produces.

A multiple-choice quiz by Suerreal. Estimated time: 5 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Science Trivia
  6. »
  7. Human Body
  8. »
  9. Endocrine System

Author
Suerreal
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
301,019
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
3240
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (4/10), Guest 75 (10/10), james1947 (10/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. What causes most thyroid disease in the US? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What gland(s) regulate the thyroid gland? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Thyroid hormone interacts with receptors in which part of the cell? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which of the following is NOT a common symptom of hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland is underactive and makes too little thyroid hormone? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which of the following is NOT a common symptom of hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid gland is overactive and makes too much thyroid hormone? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. T3 and T4 are shorthand names for the two active forms of thyroid hormone. To what do the 3 and 4 refer? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. How many thyroid glands does a person normally have? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In what form is most thyroid hormone found in the bloodstream? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What other hormone is made in the thyroid gland? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Thyroid cancer occurs at increased rates in individuals who have been exposed to the high levels of radiation which may occur after a nuclear accident or nuclear bomb detonation. What salt can be used to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of fallout exposure? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Mar 09 2024 : Guest 174: 4/10
Mar 06 2024 : Guest 75: 10/10
Mar 01 2024 : james1947: 10/10
Jan 31 2024 : Guest 149: 6/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What causes most thyroid disease in the US?

Answer: Auto-immunity

Auto-immunity, in which the immune system mistakes one or more thyroid proteins for foreign proteins, such as those associated with bacteria or viruses, is the main cause of thyroid disease in the US. Auto-immunity can cause the thyroid to be underactive (hypothyroid), or overactive (hyperthyroid). It can cause widespread enlargement resulting in a goiter or regional enlargement leading to thyroid nodules.

Iodine deficiency is almost unheard of in the US because most salt is fortified with sodium iodide.

Thyroid cancer does occur, but is much less common than breast, lung, or colon cancer, and can be successfully treated in a majority of cases.

Radiation exposure can cause thyroid disease, but is also uncommon. In regions downwind from Chernobyl, however, rates of hypothyroidism, and both cancerous and benign thyroid nodules occured at much higher rates than usual for many years after the accident.
2. What gland(s) regulate the thyroid gland?

Answer: The pituitary gland

The pituitary gland monitors circulating levels of thyroid hormones and increases or decreases the amount of TSH, or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, in order to control the amount of thyroid hormone synthesized and secreted by the thyroid gland.
3. Thyroid hormone interacts with receptors in which part of the cell?

Answer: Nucleus

Thyroid hormone receptors are found in the cell nucleus. When thyroid hormone binds to these receptors, they act as promoters or repressors for the expression of a wide range of genes.
4. Which of the following is NOT a common symptom of hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland is underactive and makes too little thyroid hormone?

Answer: Heart pounding and racing

Constipation, unusually dry skin, and puffiness around the eyes are frequently seen in hypothyroid individuals. However, instead of having their hearts pound and race, hypothyroid individuals tend to have a slow heartbeat.
5. Which of the following is NOT a common symptom of hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid gland is overactive and makes too much thyroid hormone?

Answer: Feeling cold all the time

Increased appetite, shakiness or tremors, and sweats are commonly reported in hyperthyroid individuals. Feeling hot, rather than cold, when others are comfortable is another common symptom of hyperthyroidism.

Many people associate weight loss with hyperthyroidism. While this is often true, hyperthyroid individuals can actually gain weight because of their increased appetite.
6. T3 and T4 are shorthand names for the two active forms of thyroid hormone. To what do the 3 and 4 refer?

Answer: The number of iodine atoms per molecule.

T3 has 3 iodine atoms per molecule; T4 has 4.

Both have a heavily modified tyrosine molecule as a backbone, and thus both consist of a single amino acid. T3 has a molecular weight of 651 Daltons (0.65 kD); T4 has a molecular weight of 776 Daltons (0.78 kD). The difference is the 125 Daltons contributed by the extra iodine atom in T4.
7. How many thyroid glands does a person normally have?

Answer: one

Normally, a person has one thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is made up of two lobes, one on either side of the trachea, which are connected by a thin bridge of tissue in front of the trachea called the isthmus. Despite having these different regions, the thyroid gland is considered to be one gland.
8. In what form is most thyroid hormone found in the bloodstream?

Answer: Bound to a carrier protein

Most thyroid hormone is bound to thyroid binding globulin or to albumin. Less than 1% is found as "free" (unbound) T4 or T3. It does not form dimers or hexamers.
9. What other hormone is made in the thyroid gland?

Answer: Calcitonin

Calcitonin (occasionally referred to as thyrocalcitonin), is made by a distinct population of cells within the thyroid called parafollicular cells or C-cells. One known action of calcitonin is to lower calcium levels in the bloodstream, but individuals who have had their thyroid removed do not have trouble with high calcium levels.

Thyrotropin is another name for TSH/Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, which is made in the pituitary gland and controls the thyroid. Leptin and adiponectin are hormones involved in fat cell metabolism.
10. Thyroid cancer occurs at increased rates in individuals who have been exposed to the high levels of radiation which may occur after a nuclear accident or nuclear bomb detonation. What salt can be used to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of fallout exposure?

Answer: Potassium iodide

When uranium decays, radioactive isotopes of iodine are formed. If a person ingests significant amounts of these isotopes, the radioactive iodine concentrates in the thyroid gland, and the energy given off as it decays can cause damage to proteins and nucleic acids within the cells. A large amount of radioactive iodine can do enough damage to kill the thyroid, and there is no increased risk of cancer. An insignificant amount of radioactive iodine causes negligible damage, and there is no measurable increased risk of cancer. Somewhere in between, the thyroid receives what is termed a "sublethal dose" - not enough to kill, but enough to cause significant damage. This damage may lead to errors or mutations in the DNA that are sufficient to cause a cell to transform (become cancerous) immediately or make it more likely to do so in the future.

Flooding the body with "cold" (nonradioactive) iodine protects the thyroid in two ways. First, the radioactive iodine represents a smaller proportion of the total iodine pool, so that less gets into the thyroid. Second, in order to prevent the thyroid gland from suddenly making too much thyroid hormone when there is excess iodine available, the thyroid gland stops taking up iodine temporarily when there is a sudden increase in iodine levels in the blood. Therefore, taking potassium iodide reduces both the total amount of iodine absorbed by the thyroid after an exposure, and the proportion of absorbed iodine that is radioactive.
Source: Author Suerreal

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/29/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us