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Reduced Responsiveness

Meaning

Reduced responsiveness is a clinical state characterized by a diminished biological reaction of a target cell or tissue to a circulating hormone or signaling molecule, despite the presence of normal or even elevated ligand concentrations. This phenomenon is often the result of receptor down-regulation, receptor desensitization, or post-receptor signaling pathway impairment. In endocrinology, conditions like insulin resistance or thyroid hormone resistance are classic examples of reduced responsiveness, leading to systemic functional deficits even when the hormone is technically present.