Lecture 28 - The stress response

Question 1

Where is cortisol produced?

Answer 1

The adrenal cortex

Question 2

What carrier protein is cortisol bound to during transport through the blood stream?

Answer 2

Corticosteroid binding hormone

Question 3

What type of target cell receptors does cortisol bind to?

Answer 3

Intracellular (cytoplasmic or nuclear) receptors

Question 4

What is the process of cortisol target cell binding?

Answer 4

Cortisol diffuses through cell membrane, binds to intracellular receptor to form complex, complex binds to specific region of DNA activating genes which are transcripted to mRNA then translated to make proteins.

Question 5

What stimulus is cortisol released in response to?

Answer 5

Stress

Question 6

What are neural inputs that result in the secretion of cortisol, aside from stress?

Answer 6

Day-night rhythm, low blood glucose concentration.

Question 7

What effect does cortisol have on blood glucose levels?

Answer 7

Increases them

Question 8

What effect does cortisol have on metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates?

Answer 8

Increased metabolism to maintain blood glucose

Question 9

Are anti-inflammatory actions promoted or inhibited by cortisol?

Answer 9

Promoted

Question 10

What effect does cortisol have on blood pressure?

Answer 10

Increases it