Over the past 60 years, there has been an exponential expansion
in the field of neuroendocrinology. The HPA (HypothalamusPituitary-Adrenal) Axis is affected by both internal physiological
stressors (cytokines, hypoxia, macromolecules, etc), and by
external stressors (source of anxiety, fear, etc), which threaten
the organism’s homeostasis. Cortisol binds to cortisol receptors
throughout the body. The hormone receptor complex is to be
found in the nucleus of the cells, where it binds to DNA (docking).
The consequences of this bond vary considerably. In some cells
cortisol can induce some genes and repress others. When the HPA
Axis is overactive, the amount of cortisol in the nucleus of the cells
may increase tenfold.