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Physiological Stress

Meaning

Physiological stress refers to any internal or external demand, perceived or actual, that acutely disrupts the body’s delicate homeostatic balance, thereby triggering a predictable cascade of adaptive neuroendocrine responses. This clinical term encompasses acute physical demands, such as intense exercise or injury, as well as metabolic demands, such as severe caloric restriction or significant toxin exposure. The entire response is mediated primarily by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in the essential release of glucocorticoids like cortisol, which are vital for immediate adaptation but detrimental when chronically elevated.