Steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex, which play a role in carbohydrate metabolism in normal conditions. Stress induces increased levels, which results in an elevation of blood pressure and a suppression of immunological and inflammatory responses. They play a crucial role in the regulation of glucose, and when used in treatment (e.g., asthma, as anti-inflammatories) they can impair glucose transport in both fat and muscle cells (and thus giving type 2 diabetes as well as increasing appetite and weight). They are also implicated in the regulation of memory consolidation processes. Developmentally, they have a range of effects: promotion of lung maturation and surfactant production, and in brain development as well (e.g., terminal maturation, remodeling of axons and dendrites, and cell survival). <\/p>\n
See Adrenal cortex<\/a>, Axon retraction (or pruning)<\/a>, Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)<\/a>, Fetal programming<\/a>, Hormones<\/a>, Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex, which play a role in carbohydrate metabolism in normal conditions. Stress induces increased levels, which results in an elevation of blood pressure and a suppression of immunological and inflammatory responses. They play a crucial role in the regulation of glucose, and when used in treatment (e.g., asthma, as … <\/p>\n