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Which hormone elicits the "fight or flight" response, and under which circumstance is it released?

a) Insulin; high blood sugar
b) Cortisol; stress or danger
c) Estrogen; during pregnancy
d) Thyroxine; low body temperature

User FutureNerd
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Final answer:

The hormone that triggers the "fight or flight" response is epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, which is released in response to stress or danger. The correct answer to the question is not provided in the multiple-choice options, but cortisol is related to stress despite it not being the hormone that directly triggers the response.

Step-by-step explanation:

Fight-or-Flight Response

The hormone that elicits the "fight or flight" response is called epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. This response is a reaction to stress or danger that the body perceives. When you are presented with any threat or life-or-death scenario, your body releases epinephrine from the adrenal medulla. This hormone prepares your body for immediate physical action by increasing blood glucose levels, heart rate, and oxygen availability to essential organs while constricting blood vessels in less vital areas. Norepinephrine, which works in concert with epinephrine, also plays a critical role in this response. The correct answer to the provided question is none of the options given, as the actual hormone responsible is not listed. However, of the hormones mentioned, cortisol is most related to stress but does not directly elicit the fight-or-flight response. Cortisol is more involved in the longer-term stress response and is released by the adrenal cortex under stressful conditions.

User Miikka
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