What is the Origin of Cellular Cortisol Insensitivity?

This clinical concept originates from endocrinology, drawing parallels to insulin resistance in metabolic disorders. The term combines "cellular," indicating the site of the dysfunction, with "cortisol insensitivity," describing the impaired hormonal response. It represents a functional pathology of the endocrine system's stress response machinery.

What is the Mechanism of Cellular Cortisol Insensitivity?

The primary mechanism involves defects in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling pathway, which can occur at several points. These defects may include reduced GR expression, mutations in the GR gene leading to a less functional receptor, or impaired nuclear translocation of the activated hormone-receptor complex. consequently, the necessary genomic and non-genomic actions of cortisol are attenuated, preventing the proper feedback inhibition of the HPA axis and altering metabolic and immune responses.

Cellular Cortisol Insensitivity ∞ Area

Cellular Cortisol Insensitivity

Meaning

A state where target cells exhibit a diminished biological response to circulating cortisol, despite normal or even elevated plasma cortisol concentrations. This condition, often termed glucocorticoid resistance, results from impaired signaling at the cellular level. The clinical consequence is a failure to effectively regulate physiological processes normally governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.