Hpa Axis

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Recommended: The effect of stress on the body

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a multiunit system in the body that is activated in response to stress and can have various effects on an individual. Stress is a normal part of life and it’s something we all experience in our daily lives but, often, we don’t think about it in depth. My goal is to create more awareness about the range of harmful effects to our bodies from stress as well bringing attention to how stress can be successfully coped with. During the first half of my paper, I will introduce my topic of the HPA axis, it’s mechanisms of activation, harmful side effects, and predispositions in early life that can result in certain individuals to experience stress at greater levels. During the second half of my paper, I …show more content…

Cortisol or glucocorticoid is the end product from the activation of the HPA axis and it has both beneficial and harmful side effects on the body, from reducing inflammation in cases of injury to impairing the immune system and alerting certain brain regions. Early life experiences, such as childhood abuse and being raised in a stressful environment are predispositions that can cause certain individuals to be more responsive to stress than others. In addition, prolonged and repeated exposure to cortisol can increase susceptibility to certain illness and injuries amongst individuals. For instance, the rate of visits at a doctor’s office often increases amongst college students during finals week. Given that stress is part of life and it serves us in both positive and negative terms, in today’s fast paced environment, however, it’s negatives outweigh the positives. Our busy schedules in combination with daily stressors are impacting our stress levels and with repeated stimulation of the HPA axis, our bodies are taking the biggest

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