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Hormonal Response to Stress

Meaning

The Hormonal Response to Stress describes the highly coordinated, rapid neuroendocrine cascade initiated by a perceived threat, which is clinically known as the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathoadrenal system (SAS). This physiological reaction involves the near-immediate release of catecholamines, followed by the sustained secretion of glucocorticoids, primarily cortisol, from the adrenal cortex. This essential, time-sensitive process mobilizes energy resources, heightens sensory perception, and modulates immune function to ensure immediate survival.