Studies on people show that the HPA axis is activated in different ways during chronic stress depending on the type of stressor, the person 's response to the stressor and other factors. Stressors that are uncontrollable, threaten physical integrity, or involve trauma tend to have a high, flat diurnal profile of cortisol release (with lower - than - normal levels of cortisol in the morning and higher - than - normal levels in the evening) resulting in a high overall level of daily cortisol release. On the other hand, controllable stressors tend to produce higher - than - normal morning cortisol. Stress hormone release tends to decline gradually after a stressor occurs. In post-traumatic stress disorder there appears to be lower - than - normal cortisol release, and it is thought that a blunted hormonal response to stress may predispose a person to develop PTSD.
along the hpa-axis what is what factor is the first to be released in response to stress
cortisol cortisol cortisol cortisol cortisol