Stress is closely related to the neuroendocrine system, since the responses associated with it are largely mediated by the hormonal component. Let’s see what the stress hormones are.
These physiological reactions are produced thanks to the action of different substances, called stress hormones. Among the best known are cortisol, glucagon and prolactin, although there are several more that are also triggered when there is psychological stress. Next we are going to talk about stress hormones, how they are produced, where and what effects they cause in the body.
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Stress and the neuroendocrine system: how are they related?
The way of responding to a stressful element is something that varies from person to person, because after all, the perception of what is a threat and what is not is something that can become very subjective. There are several factors that can make one person see a certain stimulus as highly disturbing while another may perceive it as harmless.
However subjective it may be what causes a person to feel stress, the physiological processes and reactions underlying this emotion are the same in all people. When an individual feels psychological tension and stress, his body experiences a series of changes produced by the action of different substances, all of which can be categorized as stress hormones .
Everyone has felt stress on more than one occasion, experiencing this emotion in their own flesh. We can define stress as a feeling of physical or emotional tension that occurs when a person perceives a certain stimulus or situation as threatening. It is a situation in which the person experiences a state of tension and anxiety for a continuous period of time.
This state can cause not only psychological stress, but also manifests itself in the form of various physical complaints, such as fatigue, increased heart rate or tremors. This is due to the fact that stress, despite being of psychological origin, causes different hormones to be involved that induce physiological changes of all kinds.
And it is in this context that the neuroendocrine system comes into play, a structure especially involved during states of stress and the responses associated with it . This system is activated by the appearance of stimuli or the experience of situations that we perceive as threatening, causing the body to accelerate the functioning of the adrenal glands.
The activation of the adrenal glands starts a chain reaction that will result in the production of various hormones associated with psychological stress. Of all the stress hormones that are produced, cortisol is the one that has the greatest weight in these reactions and the one that induces the most changes in the body.
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What are stress hormones?
We can highlight the following 6 as main stress hormones:
1. Cortisol
Of all the hormones associated with stress , cortisol is the one that is most closely related to this emotion . In fact, it has earned the name of being the stress hormone, taking away the prominence of those that we will see in the following sections. Although each stress hormone plays a particular role, it is cortisol that has the greatest weight during this state of tension.
The body, when subjected to stressful circumstances or threatening stimuli are perceived, produces and releases this hormone in large quantities. The production of cortisol serves to be able to respond adequately to the stressful situation quickly and effectively.
In a calm state, the energy used by our body is directed to carry out different metabolic tasks to maintain the balance of body functions (homeostasis) and repair, renewal or formation of new tissues. But, when something appears that our brain interprets as stressful, this organ sends a series of signals that will travel to the adrenal glands where a lot of cortisol will be released .
Cortisol plays a fundamental role in the discharge of glucose in the blood. Glucose causes the muscles to receive a large amount of energy, allowing them to move with greater speed and force, which is aimed at being able to respond to threatening stimuli through fight or flight behavior. Once the stressor has disappeared or been overcome, cortisol levels are reduced and the body returns to normal.
If this situation is experienced in a timely manner, this response is not harmful to the individual. On the other hand, if it continues over time, the stressed person will begin to manifest multiple problems associated with these high levels of cortisol and a general hormonal deregulation, as well as a worse capacity for recovery, renewal and creation of new tissues. Among these symptoms we can find:
- Irritability
- Humor changes
- Fatigue
- headaches
- palpitations
- Hypertension
- Lack of appetite
- Digestive problems
- gastric affections
- Dolor muscular
- Muscle cramps
2. Glucagon
Glucagon is a hormone synthesized in the cells of the pancreas and is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Its main objective is to let the liver release glucose when the body needs it, either because it is facing a stressful situation and it is necessary to provide the muscles with strength or because blood glucose levels have dropped and it is necessary to increase them.
In a stressful situation, what the pancreas does is release large doses of glucagon into the blood to charge our muscles with energy and, as with cortisol, facilitate the fight or flight response. This causes a hormonal imbalance in the short term, but necessary to be able to deal satisfactorily with threatening situations. However, this physiological process can be very dangerous for people with diabetes.
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3. Prolactin
Prolactin is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. It is mainly known for its involvement in milk secretion during lactation, but it is also involved in stress. The levels of this hormone can be seriously affected when a stressful situation happens. If prolonged over time, they can cause hyperprolactinemia, which is an increase in prolactin levels in the blood.
The increased presence of prolactin in the blood inhibits the release of hypothalamic hormones responsible for the synthesis of estrogens . As a result of this, the inhibition of female sexual hormones occurs, causing women to have lower estrogen levels, suffer from menstrual disorders and may go through periods of lack of ovulation.
4. Sex hormones
It may come as a surprise to some people that sex hormones are referred to as substances implicated in stress. The truth is that both testosterone and estrogen and progesterone are altered in the physiological processes associated with psychological stress.
4.1. testosterone
Testosterone is a male sex hormone that is involved in the development of male sexual traits, as well as sexual response. In addition to this, when suffering from high and chronic stress levels, testosterone production decreases . The reason for this is that the body prioritizes the release of other hormones, mainly cortisol, which are more useful in situations of stress or danger, as we have seen previously.
As a consequence of this lower production of testosterone, the affected person may experience sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, impotence and lack of sexual desire. In addition, mood swings, chronic fatigue, and insomnia may also be experienced.
4.2. estrogens
As we have mentioned in the case of prolactin, high levels of stress reduce the release of female sex hormones such as estrogens and, consequently, alter the normal sexual functioning of women. It is worth mentioning that there is a bidirectional relationship between estrogen and stress. In the same way that the effects of stress contribute to the reduction of the level of estrogen in the blood, these substances can play a protective role against the effects of stress.
4.3. Progesterone
Progesterone is a substance produced in the ovaries responsible for several functions. Among them are adjusting the menstrual cycle and intervening in the effects of estrogens, with the aim that they do not exceed their stimulation of cell growth. When women are subjected to very stressful situations on a chronic basis, the production of this hormone is reduced, resulting in various symptoms, including extreme fatigue, headaches, mood swings, weight gain and loss of sexual desire .
The psychological and the organic, inseparable
Stress hormones are one of the best pieces of evidence for the relationship between the body and the brain. Our moods influence our body and vice versa. Substances such as cortisol, prolactin, testosterone or estrogen show how the neuroendocrine system is linked to our emotional states and our behavior.
The human organism is very complex and its systems are interrelated. Separating the physiological processes from the psychological ones can serve to understand in a simple way how these processes occur, but it must be understood that reality is more complex and that it is difficult to find an organic action that does not have a certain basis with how our system behaves. nervous or with our mental processes.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.