cortisol

(noun)

A steroid hormone (also called hydrocortisone), produced by the adrenal cortex, that regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and maintains blood pressure.

Related Terms

  • dehydroepiandrosterone
  • insulin-like growth factor I
  • aldosterone
  • testosterone
  • lactogen
  • estradiol
  • gestational diabetes
  • mineralocorticoid
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • SSRI
  • adrenal gland

(noun)

Asteroid hormone (also called hydrocortisone) produced by the adrenal cortex that regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and maintains blood pressure.

Related Terms

  • dehydroepiandrosterone
  • insulin-like growth factor I
  • aldosterone
  • testosterone
  • lactogen
  • estradiol
  • gestational diabetes
  • mineralocorticoid
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • SSRI
  • adrenal gland

Examples of cortisol in the following topics:

  • Stress and Disease

    • Furthermore, it has been shown that cortisol inhibits memory retrieval for already stored information.
    • The negative feedback of cortisol to the hypothalamus, pituitary, and immune systems is impaired.
    • This leads to a continual activation of the HPA axis and excess cortisol release.
    • Excessive cortisol release also has a negative impact on heart health.
    • High levels of cortisol correlate with an increased risk of heart disease.
  • Stress and Immunity

    • For example, expression of IL-1 IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha from immune cells are all inhibited by cortisol, while cytokines that control helper T-cell activity are increased.
    • Normally, stress responses are beneficial for the body, provided they are moderate and cortisol returns to normal levels after the stressful situation ends.
    • Cushing's syndrome is a chronic disease caused by persistent and excessive cortisol levels (from stress and often tumors that secrete cortisol).
    • Over time, immune cells may become desensitized to cortisol and express fewer cortisol receptors, so chronic inflammation can develop as the anti-inflammatory effect of cortisol is weakened.
    • Exercise relieves stress through endorphins, which have an inhibitory effect on cortisol secretion.
  • Aging and the Endocrine System

    • Three hormone axes are affected by aging: growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I, cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone, and testoterone/estradiol.
    • Another hormone axis that changes with aging is the cortisol/DHEA axis.
    • Two adrenal hormones, DHEA and cortisol, have opposing effects on immune system function, with DHEA generally enhancing immunity and cortisol suppressing it.
    • Cortisol remains relatively unchanged with aging, causing an imbalance in hormone levels and thus altered immune function.
    • Glucocorticoids (GCs) such as cortisol also respond to ACTH and are released from the adrenal glands.
  • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

    • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia refers to an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutated genes for enzymes that produce cortisol from cholesterol.
    • Cortisol is an adrenal steroid hormone that is required for normal endocrine function.
    • Poor cortisol production is a hallmark of most forms of CAH.
    • Cortisol deficiency in CAH is usually partial and not the most serious problem for an affected person.
    • Synthesis of cortisol shares steps with synthesis of mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone, androgens such as testosterone, and estrogens such as estradiol.
  • Adrenal Cortex

    • Zona fasciculata is the layer, situated between the glomerulosa and reticularis, this layer is responsible for producing glucocorticoids, such as 11-deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, and cortisol in humans.
    • Cortisol enhances the activity of other hormones including glucagon and catecholamines.
    • The primary glucocorticoid released by the adrenal gland in the human is cortisol and corticosterone in many other animals.
    • Upon binding to its target, cortisol enhances metabolism in several ways:
  • Adrenal Gland Disorders

    • Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of cortisol and/or aldosterone.
    • Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys , do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones, primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production which regulates sodium, potassium, and water retention.
  • The Stress Response

    • ACTH acts on the adrenal cortices that produce glucocorticoid hormones, like cortisol, which is a stress hormone that exerts many effects throughout the body.
    • In the brain cortisol acts on both mineral corticoid and glucocorticoid receptors that are expressed by many different types of neurons.
    • ACTH is then transported through the circulatory system to the adrenal cortex where it promotes the biosynthesis of corticosteroids like cortisol and cholesterol.
  • Overview of the Adrenal Glands

  • The Resistance Reaction

    • There is also some activation of the HPA axis, producing glucocorticoids such as cortisol.
    • In high doses, cortisol begins to act as a mineralocorticoid (aldosteron) and brings the body to a state similar to hyperaldosteronism.
  • Pituitary Gland Disorders

    • Once the effector glands produce sufficient hormones (thyroxine, cortisol, estradiol or testosterone and IGF-1), both the hypothalamus and the pituitary cells sense their abundance and reduce their secretion of stimulating hormones.
    • Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency leads to adrenal insufficiency, a lack of production of glucocorticoids such as cortisol by the adrenal gland.
    • ACTH deficiency is highly similar to primary Addison's disease, which is cortisol deficiency as the result of direct damage to the adrenal glands; the latter form, however, often leads to hyperpigmentation of the skin, which does not occur in ACTH deficiency.
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