This refers to the deliberate adjustment of the predictable, sharp rise in cortisol levels observed shortly after waking, a neuroendocrine event known as the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR). Modulation aims to optimize this acute stress axis activity, ensuring a healthy, non-exaggerated, or non-blunted response pattern. A well-regulated CAR is an important indicator of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis integrity and psychological resilience.
Origin
The concept emerged from psychoneuroendocrinology research in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, where the CAR was identified as a distinct, reliable physiological marker of HPA axis function. Modulation implies a therapeutic strategy to bring this response back into a healthy range.
Mechanism
Modulation is achieved by influencing the signaling pathways between the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which controls the circadian rhythm, and the HPA axis. Interventions typically target upstream factors like stress perception, sleep quality, or specific nutrient cofactors, thereby adjusting the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release profile from the pituitary gland that drives the morning cortisol surge.
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