The endocrine system plays an important role in our ability to handle stress. Hormone release associated with the stress response can help us to survive and handle crisis situations. However, chronic stress can result in unregulated release of stress hormones that can have negative effects on the brain and our immune systems. For this case assignment, you will prepare a 2-3 page paper in which you:
1. Describe the difference between acute and chronic stressors
2. Describe the stress response and the effects of cortisol release on the human body. (With which division of the nervous system is the stress response associated?)
3. Discuss and label the components of HPA axis and its feedback mechanisms.
4. Discuss the pathologies associated with dysregulation of cortisol, focusing on the brain and the immune system.
Note: This assignment will require you to engage in independent research to learn about diseases of the endocrine system. You may want to begin your search in the book, Human Anatomy and Physiology: Cortisol: Physiology, Regulation, and Health Implications, on your ebrary bookshelf.