Hormone changes in stress

Typically stressors produce rises in catecholamines, ACTH, cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin and vasopressin. These are accompanied by falls in testosterone and thyroid hormones. Adrenaline is probably the immediate stress‐responsive hormone, increasing arousal, inducing metabolic changes and affecting haematological factors in preparation for the ‘fight or flight’ response. Cortisol seems to be the most useful hormone to monitor graded responses to a variety of stressors, its actions including anti‐inflammatory. counter‐regulatory fuel metabolism, salt and water handling and cardiovascular support. Differing physical stressors influence the hypothalamic glucocorticoid feedback‐responsive centres in differing ways. It seems likely that the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) may be a simple measure of stress response and not of depression. The future for research into mechanisms of stress responses would appear to be rather brighter than that for the DST in depression.