In: Psychology
how does the sympathetic adrenal medulla axis and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis complement each other during the fight or flight reaction?
The sympathetic adrenal medulla axis is responsible for the fast reaction to sudden stress. The sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system is activated by the hypothalamus which in turn activates the adrenal medulla to release adrenaline or noradrenaline which causes the fight or flight syndrome.
The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is a slow acting system that is the response to the release of cortisol hormone. The hypothalamus sends messages to the pituitary gland causing the production of ACTH stimulating the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol. This provides a steady flow of fuel necessary in stressful situations.
Thus the two systems complement each other as the short term responses are produced by The Fight or Flight Response via the Sympathomedullary Pathway (SAM). Long-term stress is regulated by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) system. As Cortisol enables the body to maintain steady supplies of blood sugar. Adequate and steady blood sugar levels help people in coping with a prolonged stressor and helps the body to return to normal.