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During a stressful encounter, cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream by which structure?
AThe adrenal glands, once they are activated by ACTH
BThe pituitary gland, once it is signaled by the cortex
CThe hypothalamus, which sits within the limbic system
DThe sympathetic nerves that innervate immune organs
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. The adrenal glands, once they are activated by ACTH
1. In response to stress the hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing factor.
2. That factor causes the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH.
3. ACTH then activates the adrenal glands to secrete hormones into the bloodstream, and an important one is cortisol.
4. The hypothalamus and pituitary sit upstream in the cascade and release different hormones, so neither secretes cortisol.
5. Sympathetic nerves innervate immune organs but do not secrete cortisol.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 14 "Stress, Lifestyle, and Health", section 14.1 What Is Stress?_
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