Acute and Chronic Stress

The sympathetic-adrenomedullary system – acute stress

  • Hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system which stimulates the adrenal medulla that releases adrenaline and noradrenaline creating a fight or flight response to the body

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system – chronic stress

  • Hypothalamus is stimulated which activates the pituitary gland to release ACTH that stimulates the adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids that increase blood pressure.