Stress-Response
Chronic Stress Response: Growth & Repair
HYPOTHALAMUS: neurons within the hypothalamus secrete growth hormone releasing factor (GHRH) and other neurons that secrete somatostatin
PITUITARY: GHRH stimulates release of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary; in contrast, somatostatin acts to inhibit release of growth hormone
LIVER: growth hormone stimulates the release of somatomedins from the liver
somatomedins are growth factors that directly stimulate bone and cartilage growth
chronic stress inhibits secretion of growth hormone due to increased release of somatostatin
in children, stress-induced inhibition of GH can impair physical growth:
- “psychosocial dwarfism”--children are half the expected height for their age and secrete very little GH; this condition is associated with severe emotional stress