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Nicotine HPA Axis Dysregulation

Meaning

Nicotine HPA axis dysregulation refers to the functional impairment of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis—the body’s central stress response system—caused by chronic exposure to nicotine. Nicotine acts as a pharmacological stressor, persistently stimulating the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and subsequent cortisol secretion. This chronic activation leads to a blunting of the normal diurnal cortisol rhythm and an eventual desensitization of the glucocorticoid receptors, compromising the body’s ability to appropriately manage physiological and psychological stress. The clinical outcome is often a state of chronic hypercortisolemia or HPA axis exhaustion.