Adrenocortical lipids in sudden death from coronary disease and from mechanical injury (on forensic medical diagnosis of stress)

The basic regularities in the time course of adrenocortical lipids in acute cardiovascular stress and in injuries of different duration are shown. The author hypothesizes that the reticular zone of the cortical substance of the gland is not a zone of cell aging and death but, quite the contrary, a functionally active zone able, together with the adjacent sites of the bundle zone, to meet the requirements of the organism in glucocorticoids during common vital activity but not during stress. The bundle zone of the cortex overloaded with lipids represents a 'cholesterol depot' which is mobilized for the synthesis of steroids in emergency. Study of adrenocortical lipids helps detect the reaction to stress and, hence, helps to decide whether the processes were life-time and when they coursed and permits estimation of the speed of dying and detection of the causes and mechanisms of death.