Abbildung 2: Stress response
Central stress response and elements of stress response execution. In response to the perception of psychological stress, the central stress reponse leads to the activation of the HPA axis, which causes the release of CRH, ACTH, and PRL and a down-regulation of GnRH and LH. Peripheral elements of stress response execution are subsequently activated, including the glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and neurotrophins. In mice, stress exposure has been shown to result in decrease of progesterone and possibly estradiol. CRH = corticotropinreleasing hormone; ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone; PRL = prolactin; GnRH = gonadotropin-releasing hormone; LH = luteinising hormone; HPA = hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal.