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Glucocorticoids and Stress

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I need help on answering the following questions. Than I will expand the assignment to a 3 page paper.
Glucocorticoids help individuals to adapt to stressful situations, but when these levels remain elevated the HPA axis can become dysregulated. This dysregulation contributes to a variety of mood disorders such as depression (Helmeich et al., 2008).

1. Does this occur over a long period of chronic stress?
2. Can the impact be reversed or is the damage permanent?

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome and would be appreciated.

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Solution Summary

The expert discusses how glucocorticoids help people to adapt to a stressful situation and the possibility of permanent damage.

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Glucocorticoids are created in the adrenal glands and can affect the body in a number of different ways. They can activate energy in the bloodstream from storage sites in the body, they help to increase cardiovascular tone, and in times of crisis, they can delay long-term processes that are not essential, such as feeding, digestion, reproduction, and growth. The glucocorticoid, epinephrine activates, and delivers energy to muscles in response to what the body needs; whereas, cortisol stimulates replenishment of energy and effective cardiovascular function. Cortisol levels also affect our food intake during sleep, and turns on appetite and ...

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