Conditions Linked to HPA Axis Hyperactivity

 

🧬 Conditions Linked to HPA Axis Hyperactivity

1. Depression

• People with major depressive disorder (MDD) often have elevated cortisol levels.

• The brain's feedback system (hippocampus and prefrontal cortex) gets damaged by long-term cortisol.

• This causes:

  • Low mood

  • Fatigue

  • Poor appetite or overeating

  • Sleep problems

  • Loss of interest or pleasure

2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• PTSD is triggered by severe trauma.

• The HPA axis response becomes dysregulated:

  • Cortisol might actually be lower in PTSD (unlike depression), but the system is still "on edge."

  • High CRH levels → brain becomes hypersensitive to fear and threat.

• This leads to:

  • Flashbacks

  • Hypervigilance

  • Nightmares

  • Emotional numbing

3. Burnout (Chronic Workplace or Emotional Stress)

• Long-term pressure without rest causes the HPA axis to stay active, and eventually collapse (fatigue of the system).

• Cortisol may be high at first, then drop too low (exhaustion stage).

• This leads to:

  • Constant tiredness

  • Loss of motivation

  • Feeling detached or cynical

  • Trouble concentrating

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🎯 In Short

Condition	HPA Axis Effect	Main Symptoms
Depression	Overactive, high cortisol	Sadness, fatigue, sleep/appetite problems
PTSD	Dysregulated, CRH high, cortisol varies	Flashbacks, fear, insomnia
Burnout	Initially high, then fatigued HPA axis	Exhaustion, low energy, detachment