Question

John has just finished a brutal tour of combat in Afghanistan where he saw a lot of fighting. Several of his friends were killed, but he was able to fight despite the death around him. The two stress hormones at play were ______ and ______.

a) epinephrine; serotonin
b) telomeres; epinephrine
c) cortisol; epinephrine
d) epinephrine; insulin

Answer 1

John's response to combat stress involved the hormones epinephrine and cortisol. Epinephrine triggers the fight-or-flight response, while cortisol affects glucose metabolism and suppresses the immune system during prolonged stress.

Step-by-step explanation:

The two stress hormones at play in John's experience during combat in Afghanistan were epinephrine and cortisol. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is released by the adrenal medulla and instigates the fight-or-flight response which includes the release of glucose from the liver, increased heart rate, and redirected blood flow to essential organs for immediate survival.

On the other hand, cortisol, which is a glucocorticoid, is released from the adrenal cortex during prolonged stress and impacts various physiological processes including blood glucose levels, and suppresses the immune system if levels remain elevated over time.