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How does the speed of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis compare with that of the sympathetic nervous system during stress?
AThe HPA axis fires first and the sympathetic system follows
BThe HPA axis works much more slowly than the sympathetic one
CBoth act at exactly the same speed because both are endocrine
DThe HPA axis acts only once the stage of exhaustion is reached
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. The HPA axis works much more slowly than the sympathetic one
1. Two systems carry the physiological mechanisms of stress: the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
2. When a person first perceives something as stressful, the sympathetic nervous system triggers arousal by releasing adrenaline from the adrenal glands.
3. That gives the fast reactions of fight-or-flight, such as accelerated heart rate and respiration.
4. The HPA axis becomes especially active at the same time, but it is primarily endocrine and works much more slowly than the sympathetic nervous system.
5. So the sympathetic system leads on speed and the HPA axis trails it, not the reverse.
6. Only the HPA axis is primarily endocrine, so calling both endocrine and equally fast is wrong on both counts.
7. The HPA axis is active from the alarm reaction onward, not held back until exhaustion.
_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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