Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation
Core concept
- Hypothalamus (CRH) -> anterior pituitary (ACTH) -> adrenal cortex (cortisol)
- Negative feedback: cortisol inhibits both CRH and ACTH release (fast, at minutes, and slow/genomic components)
- ACTH also drives adrenal androgen production (zona reticularis) but has minimal chronic effect on aldosterone (zona glomerulosa is primarily renin-angiotensin/potassium-driven, not ACTH-driven)
3 more sections, plus exam facts
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