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Hormone
Chemical Messengers produced and released by specialized glands in the endocrine system
- are released directly into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body, affecting any cells hat contain receptors or them
- As a result, they're slower to take effect than neurotransmitters, however their effects are longer-lasting
Hormones can influence a wide range of behaviors as the affect the body both physically and psychologically
- They regulate long-term ongoing processes such as body growth, metabolism, sexual development, and reproduction
Some hormones also act as neurotransmitters and can produce instantaneous effects on mood and attention by targeting receptor sites on the neuron's synaptic gap.
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Cortisol
A hormone that is produced and secreted by the adrenal gland.
- helps the body cope with stress by regulating your body's stress response
- when faced with a stressful situation, the body releases heightened amounts of cortisol as part of the body's fight or flight response
- also associated with memory formation
- when stress levels are elevated, the brain prioritizes the formation of new memories while inhibiting recall of old information
- chronically elevated cortisol levels can cause detrimental effects of cognition, in particular Alzheimer's disease.
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Study Used
Buchanan and Lovallo (2001): Cortisol and Memory