Final answer:
Cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine lead to the fight-or-flight response during stress, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels to prepare for quick action.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine are hormones that are involved in the body's response to stress, particularly in what is known as the fight-or-flight response. When a person experiences stress, the body triggers a series of reactions to prepare for either confrontation or evasion. The adrenal medulla releases epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline) which contribute to increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels, among other physiological changes, which are essential for quick, energetic action. These hormones cause a number of effects such as the dilation of the air passages, which increases oxygen intake to the lungs, enhances blood flow to critical muscles and organs, and stimulates the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver and muscle tissue, providing quick energy. Cortisol, another stress-related hormone released by the adrenal cortex, also plays a role in the long-term stress response by helping to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure, aside from its effect on metabolism.