How Stress Affects The Body Science Project – Although we often associate the word ‘stress’ with anxiety, the term really encompasses any challenge that has the potential to disrupt homeostasis. These include physical stress such as infection or injury. Physiological requirements in response to these diverse challenges are all mediated – at least in part – by the glucocorticoid cortisol.
Glucocorticoids are cholesterol-derived steroid hormones synthesized and secreted by the adrenal glands. They are anti-inflammatory in all tissues and regulate muscle, fat, liver and bone metabolism. Glucocorticoids also affect vascular tone and affect mood, behavior, and sleep-wake cycles in the …