Abstract
IT is well known that the subjection of a normal animal to stress causes increased pituitary-adrenocortical activity. However, in man, the changes in blood corticotrophin (ACTH) and in blood and urinary corticosteroids which are indicative of hyperactivity of the pituitary-adrenal system occur only when the subject is exposed to severe physical stress. Thus, increased pituitary-adrenocortical activity occurs in response to surgical trauma1 but not to extremes of environment (heat, high altitude)2. On the other hand, investigation of corticoid excretion, in man, appears to indicate that emotional stress may be a more powerful activator of the pituitary-adrenal system3. The present work was performed in an attempt to demonstrate changes in blood corticotrophin and cortisol in response to emotion.
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HODGES, J., JONES, M. & STOCKHAM, M. Effect of Emotion on Blood Corticotrophin and Cortisol Concentrations in Man. Nature 193, 1187–1188 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/1931187a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1931187a0
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