Final answer:
The adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), or corticotropin, released by the anterior pituitary gland, stimulates cortisol production by the adrenal cortex during stress. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid, is essential for the long-term stress response and affects metabolism, immune response, and nutrient breakdown. Excess cortisol can lead to disorders such as Cushing's disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The polypeptide hormone that plays a large role in the body's response to stress is known as the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), also called corticotropin. ACTH is released by the anterior pituitary gland and stimulates the adrenal cortex, the outer portion of the adrenal glands, to secrete corticosteroids like cortisol.
This cortisol is a glucocorticoid produced in response to stress and is important for the regulation of various functions during the long-term stress response, including the breakdown of nutrients for energy, maintaining blood pressure and blood volume, as well as modulating the immune response. In conditions such as Cushing's disease, there is a hypersecretion of glucocorticoids which can lead to various health issues.
Cortisol helps to provide energy by promoting the breakdown of glycogen into glucose, fats into fatty acids, and muscle proteins into amino acids. These substances can be used by the body as fuel. The secretion of ACTH is regulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus, which responds to stressors by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to the production of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. While cortisol is essential for stress response, sustained high levels can weaken the immune system.