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Stress and Somatic Symptoms pp 29–41Cite as

Stress and Neuroendocrine Function

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Abstract

Measurement of stress hormones, general adaptation syndrome, the relationship between stressors/emotion and hormones, coping and hormones, and effects of gene-environment interaction on neuroendocrine functions were reviewed in order to examine the relationship between stress and endocrine functions. Among hormones, catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine and cortisol were used in most stress-related studies. Salivary cortisol has more advantage than blood or urine samples of cortisol in such studies. Pituitary hormones such as ACTH, prolactin and growth hormone, and target hormones such as testosterone and cortisol are known to be sensitive to stress. These hormones affect a number of biochemical and physiological processes widely, so the close relationship between stress and hormones could provide important clues on the psychobiological mechanisms of diseases. Systematic incorporation of neuroendocrine measures in research can provide a valuable tool for probing a basic level of stress response.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Kyung Bong Koh

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Koh, K.B. (2018). Stress and Neuroendocrine Function. In: Stress and Somatic Symptoms. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02783-4_3

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