Stratakis C A, Gold P W, Chrousos G P
Developmental Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Horm Res. 1995;43(4):162-7. doi: 10.1159/000184269.
A stressor above a threshold magnitude, or multiple stressors applied simultaneously, cause an organism to alter its behaviour and physiology, with the aim of maintaining homeostasis. The adaptive changes that occur are coordinated and mediated by the stress system in the central nervous system (which includes corticotrophin-releasing hormone and noradrenergic neurons in the hypothalamus and brainstem, respectively), and its peripheral limbs, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the autonomic (sympathetic) system. Controlled or self-driven challenges to homeostasis and a normally functioning stress system are crucial for normal development and preservation of self and species. In childhood and adolescence, appropriately functioning neuroendocrine responses to stressors are necessary to allow growth and psychosexual maturation to progress normally. Maladaptive neuroendocrine responses, i.e. dysregulation of the stress system, may lead to disturbances in growth and development and cause psychiatric, endocrine/metabolic and/or autoimmune diseases or vulnerability to such diseases, not only during childhood and adolescence, but also in adulthood.
高于阈值强度的应激源，或同时施加的多种应激源，会导致生物体改变其行为和生理状态，目的是维持体内平衡。发生的适应性变化由中枢神经系统中的应激系统协调和介导（中枢神经系统分别包括下丘脑和脑干中的促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素和去甲肾上腺素能神经元），及其外周分支，即下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴和自主（交感）系统。对体内平衡和正常运作的应激系统进行可控或自我驱动的挑战，对于自我和物种的正常发育及保存至关重要。在儿童期和青春期，对应激源进行适当运作的神经内分泌反应对于正常生长和性心理成熟的进展是必要的。适应不良的神经内分泌反应，即应激系统失调，不仅在儿童期和青春期，而且在成年期，都可能导致生长发育障碍，并引发精神、内分泌/代谢和/或自身免疫性疾病，或使个体易患此类疾病。
