Endocrine System: Stress Response and Hormones

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the endocrine system, stress response, and specific hormones involved in these processes.

Adrenal Gland

Glands that produce hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol involved in stress response.

Epinephrine

A hormone and neurotransmitter released by the adrenal medulla that increases heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure, and sugar metabolism; also known as adrenaline.

Hypothalamus

A region of the brain that detects stress and initiates the stress response by sending signals to the adrenal glands.

Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH)

A hormone released by the hypothalamus that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

Cortisol

A glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that increases blood sugar and helps manage stress.

Aldosterone

A mineralocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that regulates sodium and water balance, thereby affecting blood pressure.

Short Term Stress Response

A quick physiological response to stress that does not involve the pituitary gland, resulting in the immediate release of epinephrine.

Chronic Stress

Long-term stress that can lead to prolonged activation of the stress response system, often involving the release of cortisol.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight or flight' during stressful situations.

Glucogenesis

The process of producing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, typically occurring during stress when blood sugar levels are low.

Addison's Disease

An autoimmune condition characterized by insufficient production of cortisol and aldosterone, leading to low blood sugar and blood pressure.

Negative Feedback

A mechanism in which a change in variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, maintaining homeostasis.

Fight or Flight Response

A physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival.

Mineralocorticoids

A category of hormones, including aldosterone, that help regulate sodium and water balance.

Glucocorticoids

A category of hormones, including cortisol, that regulate metabolism and the stress response.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a chemical synapse from one neuron to another target neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.

Stress Hormones

Hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol that are released in response to stress.