what gland is cortisol secreted from
The pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain, makes and secretes a hormone known as adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH. Secretion of ACTH signals the adrenal glands to increase cortisol production and secretion.The pituitary, in turn, receives signals from the hypothalamus of the brain in the form of the hormone CRH, or corticotrophin-releasing hormone, which signals the pituitary to release ACTH.he marker used to measure stress is the adrenal steroid hormone, cortisol. Stress, whether physical or emotional in origin, provokes a response by the adrenal glands. Many hormonal imbalances are the direct result of adrenal insufficiency. The adrenal glands produce two primary hormones, DHEA and cortisol.